The violence from Tuesday night across multiple cities in Gujarat has led to shutting down of schools and colleges under nine police stations. Section 144 was imposed following incidents of arson and stone pelting in Rajkot, Surat and Ahmedabad.
Tensions simmered after 21-year-old Hardik Patel, who is leading the agitation, was detained by the police, Patel has called for a Gujarat Bandh.
According to a report by NDTV, in a late night WhatsApp message, Patel has appealed for calm.
The paraphrased translation of the video is as follows:
I would like to appeal to the Patidar community to maintain order. I have been duly released by the Crime branch, and request all of you to put out the information on social media platforms. Further course of action will be intimated to all of you in due time.
— Hardik Patel, Patidar Community Leader
During the protests on Tuesday night, a sub inspector in Surat’s Varachha district suffered severe injuries. Three other police constables were also attacked.
No fresh reports of violence have emerged in Surat since 3 am on Wednesday. State and central governments are working in tandem to contain the violence.
- Internet services have been suspended in Vadodara for 24 hours, to prevent the spreading of false or provocative information.
- The Ministry of Home Affairs has deployed additional troops in Gujarat following a request by Chief Minister Anandiben Patel.
- The state government has imposed a curfew under the jurisdiction of nine police stations in Kapodra and Sarthana districts in Surat.
- Gujarat CM Anandiben Patel had appealed to the people to maintain peace.
The Chief Minister of Gujarat said in a statement that the government had tried its best to maintain peace, but with little success.
State government fully tried that the rally in Ahmedabad is held in a peaceful manner but something happened at the protest site in Ahmedabad after 8, prompting the police to lathicharge.
— Anirban Patel, Chief Minister, Gujarat
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