Gajarat police on Saturday detained Patel quota stir leader Hardik Patel and 36 of his followers in Surat city.
Non-violent protests that started soon after detention of Patel turned violent by evening. Stone pelting was reported in Kapodra area of the city as mobs started gathering nearest Kapodra police station. The crowd demanded release of Hardik.
Police lobbed tear-gas shells to disperse the crowd. The rioting mobs blocked all major cross roads in Varachha and Kapodra area. They also blocked the flyovers to disconnect the city from main entry points in city from National Highway 8.
The detainees were moved to police headquarters in Athwalines.
On Friday, the Gujarat government had denied permission to Patel-led ‘Ekta Yatra’ march scheduled for Saturday, even as the Patel quota agitation leader remained adamant to go ahead with the march “at any cost.”
In past two weeks, Hardik had announced to take out the “reverse Dandi March” twice, but cancelled the plan after the district administration denied permission to them.
“We have denied permission to (Hardik Patel) to take out the rally tomorrow in the larger interest of law and order situation,” Navsari district collector RM Muthudath said.
Muthudath said the district administration has also denied permission to a counter-rally sought by the movement’s leaders.
Hardik said they will follow the path of “civil disobedience,” but assured that the rally will be held peacefully without doing harm to anybody.