Ahmedabad: Curfew has been imposed in several parts of Gujarat after members of the Patel community resorted to arson and vandalism late on Tuesday night. The move comes after 21-year-old Hardik Patel, who is on a hunger strike demanding reservation and leading the agitation, was briefly detained on Tuesday night. He was released just an hour after his detention.
As news of his detention spread, violence broke out in several parts of Gujarat including Ahmedabad, Surat, Mehsana, Rajkot and some interior areas of the state.
Paramilitary forces like State Reserve Police Force, Border Security Force and Rapid Action Force have been deployed in cities like Ahmedabad and Mehsana. However, no casualties have been reported in the state so far.
In Ahmedabad, city buses and police posts were set on fire, while stone-pelting was reported from various parts of Gujarat, state control room officials said. Police had to resort to lathicharge and lob teargas shells to control the situation.
Curfew was imposed in Mehsana city, Unjha and Visnagar towns after widespread incident of arson in which attempts were also made to set on fire the residence of Gujarat Minister of State of Home Rajni Patel.
"Curfew has been imposed in Mehsana city, Unjha and Visnagar town after incidents of violence in Mehsana district," Mehsana's District Collector Lochan Sehra said. Sehra said the Mehsana district administration has also called in paramilitary forces to control the situation.
Surat Police has also imposed curfew in Kapodara and Althan areas of the city after angry mob took to the streets and resorted to violence and arson.
"Violence has been reported in many parts of city. We have imposed curfew in Kapodara and Althan areas of city, as violence was more widespread in these two areas. We are trying our best to control the situation," Surat City Police Commissioner Rakesh Asthana said.
In Rajkot, angry mob reportedly ransacked two offices of Union Minister of State for Agriculture and local MP Mohan Kundariya, city police control room officials said, adding, these offices are located in Kalavad Road and Karanpara areas.
The mob also torched or completely ransacked almost all the BRTS bus stops in the city during late night violence. It is also learned that a large number of people have blocked highways connecting nearby towns and districts.
Meanwhile, Hardik Patel has called for a state-wide bandh on Wednesday to intensify the agitation. He also urged his community members to maintain peace as several parts of Gujarat witnessed incidents of violence.
"I make an appeal to maintain peace and keep calm. I give a call for Gujarat bandh. This decision has been taken by Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti considering widespread violence in the state," Hardik Patel, convener of Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti which is spearheading the agitation, said.
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