Clashes in Surat Over Denial of Permission for Rally, 4 Cops Hurt

Police denied permission for the rally on the grounds that the lynchings being protested had not happened in Surat.

Policemen chase away protestors during a rally against incidents of mob lynching, in Surat on 5 July 2019. 

(Photo: PTI)

At least four policemen were injured after clashes broke out between the police and people from the Muslim community when cops tried to stop the crowd from conducting a rally in Nanpura area of Gujarat’s Surat on Friday, 5 July.

Police tried to prevent the rally as the organisers had not obtained necessary permission, news agency ANI quoted DCP Surat, Vishu Chaudhury, as saying.

Surat-based organisation Versatile Minorities Forum had sought police permission to organise a rally to protest the lynchings happening in various parts of the country.

Protesters take cover during a clash with police at a rally against incidents of mob lynching, in Surat.

Satish Sharma, Commissioner of Police, told The Quint:

“The members of the organisation were denied permission on the grounds that the incidents they wanted to protest had not taken place in Surat.”

“Moreover, the areas for which they had sought permission are busy areas of the city. A procession of any kind would have led to traffic disruptions in the area,” Sharma said.

Chaudhury, along with three other police officials – JCP BN Patel, PI SR Kuadia and ACP Pinakin Parmar – were among those injured.

Protesters clash with police at a rally against incidents of mob lynching, in Surat on 5 July 2019. 

The police had resorted to firing tear gas shells after the mob reportedly pelted stones at the cops who were trying to bring the situation under control.

Section 144 (prohibiting assembly of more than four people in an area) has been imposed in the area, Chaudhury reportedly told ANI.

(With inputs from ANI)