Patels strike again, curfew in Mehsana

Mobile Net banned, Rajnath speaks to CM

In the wake of reports of clashes in Mehsana town, Union home minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday called up Gujarat chief minister Anandiben Patel, who apprised him on the prevailing situation there.

During the telephonic talk, the home minister took stock of the situation in Gujarat’s Mehsana district, where clashes broke out between protesters.

Ms Patel informed Mr Singh about the steps being taken by the state government to control the situation and maintain peace, official sources said.

Curfew was Sunday clamped in Mehsana town in Gujarat and mobile Internet service banned as a massive rally of the Patel community demanding reservation and immediate release of their jailed leaders turned violent with two buildings being set ablaze and some police vehicles damaged.

“We have imposed a curfew in Mehsana town till tomorrow morning. Mobile Internet service has been suspended during this period. The violent mob set ablaze two government properties... A sub-divisional magistrate and a mamlatdar (revenue officer) were injured in the stone-pelting,” said Lochan Sehra, collector of Mehsana, 73 km from Ahmedabad.

A godown of Food Corporation of India and a district office were set on fire, the police said, adding 15 persons have been detained in this connection.

Five policemen and two officials sustained injuries in the incidents, the police said while agitators claimed that 25 of their supporters were injured in police action.

In Surat, the police detained 435 Patel agitators who hit the streets after learning about incidents in Mehsana. Surat police commissioner Ashish Bhatia said the situation was under control.

Mobile Internet services were banned also in Surat and Rajkot as a precautionary measure, district authorities said.

In Mehsana, police used lathicharge and fired teargas shells on the agitators who allegedly engaged in stone-pelting.

Patel protesters had gathered at Modhera crossroad as part of the “jail bharo” agitation announced by the Sardar Patel Group (SPG), one of the prominent groups seeking OBC quota for the Patel community.

SPG chief Lalji Patel received a head injury during the faceoff with the police.

A blame-game erupted with the police claiming it resorted to lathicharge only after some started hurling stones at them while Patels alleged that agitators were targeted without any provocation.

“Our protest was peaceful as announced earlier. However, the police suddenly hit me and some of our members when we were walking ahead of the procession. I was hit on head. You can see the blood on my face. We were beaten up without any provocation,” said Mr Patel.