Gujarat : Patan MLA & 20 others held for assaulting police

Patan: Congress MLA from the Patan assembly seat, Kirit Patel, along with 20 others, was arrested on Thursday morning. The arrests came after these individuals were booked for allegedly assaulting police personnel during a protest at Hemchandracharya North Gujarat University (HNGU) in Patan district.

At around 6 a.m on Thursday, Congress MLA Kirit Patel, former MLA Chandanji Thakor, and other leaders and workers arrived at the B-Division Police Station and were arrested after the legal process was completed.

Deputy Superintendent of Police K.K. Pandya told the media that 12 people had already been arrested in the case, and today a total of 21 individuals, including Patan MLA Kirit Patel, former Siddhpur MLA Chandanji Thakor, and district Congress president Gamerbhai Desai, were arrested after they arrived at the police station. Further investigations are ongoing.

An FIR was registered by the Patan ‘B’ Division police after reviewing CCTV footage. It names Patel, former Siddhpur MLA Chandanji Thakor, and nearly 200 protesters, including Congress workers and NSUI members. They were booked under sections of the new criminal code BNS, including 121-1, 132, and 224.

The protest erupted after three basketball players from Anand district, caught consuming alcohol in the boys’ hostel on December 8, were allegedly released without police action.

Meanwhile, the hearing for the anticipatory bail of Kirit Patel, Chandanji Thakor, and Gamerbhai Desai is scheduled to take place later today.