This Article is From Aug 26, 2015

Surat Tense After Fresh Clashes, Police Tear Gas Protestors

A dairy was set afire and several state-run buses including those belonging the Surat municipal corporation were also attacked.

Surat: Surat, Gujarat's diamond city is tense today amid fresh clashes in more than a dozen places between protestors and the police, which has used tear gas to control mobs.

In many areas of the city, crowds of protestors faced off with police teams, throwing stones at the cops and also targeting media personnel present there.

A dairy was set afire and several state-run buses including those belonging the Surat municipal corporation were also attacked.

Most parts of Surat, including its diamond market, are closed today in response to a bandh or strike call by Hardik Patel, the 21-year-old who is leading a massive campaign demanding reservation for the wealthy and influential Patel community in Gujarat.

The tension in Surat and other cities of the state stems from Mr Patel's brief detention last night in Ahmedabad. "Hardik was detained for 10 minutes last night and it has caused hardship of 1000 crores to the government," a supporter of the young leader told NDTV in Surat.

Around 100 vehicles have been set on fire and government property has been damaged since last night in different parts of Gujarat in the violence that began after Hardik Patel's detention. More than 20 policemen and civilians have been injured in clashes.

Surat has a significant 10-lakh population of Patels. Hardik Patel led a massive rally in the city last week demanding quota for the community, also called Patidaars.
 
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