Curfew imposed in Surat as protests turn violent

Surat, Apr 17 (ANI): Curfew was imposed in Mehsana on Sunday as protest by the Patidar community demanding release of their leader turned violent. The Patels, or Patidar community, make up 14 percent of the population in Gujarat. A relatively affluent group of land-and business-owners, they had been a bulwark of support for Modi. Thousands of protesters came out on the streets in various parts of the state as part of the ‘Jail Bharo’ agitation, demanding the state police to put them behind bars till the time their leader Hardik Patel was not released from the jail. Violence broke out after demonstrators from the community were stopped on the way to a prison by the police. Police had to resort to use baton-charge and fire teargas shells on the agitators who allegedly engaged in stone pelting.