Patel Agitation turn Violet in Gujarat

Curfew was clamped in Mehsana town in Gujarat and mobile internet service banned on Sunday 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.

Thousands of Patel community members gathered at Modhera crossroad on the outskirts of the city today to court arrest on a mass scale, pressing for reservation and release of Hardik Patel, who is spearheading the agitation for quota for his community, and three of his aides who are in jail.

Large number of police, with water canons and teargas shell guns, had been deployed at the crossroad.

"Police first used the water canons to disperse the mob which attacked some police vehicles. Teargas shells were also fired as the mob started throwing stones. It also set ablaze some private vehicles. The operation to control the situation is still on," said a police control room official.