Hardik Patel released on bail hours after the arrest

The 22-year-old leader of Patel agitation in Gujarat, Hardik Patel, who was detained by the Gujarat police in Surat on 19 September night was released on bail by a court.

Hardik's arrest triggered sporadic incidents of violence and protests, though much lesser in scale and intensity compared to last month's incidents when the wide-scale strife marked the protests by the community members, leading to death of ten persons.

The government, for its part, banned mobile internet services across the state to curb possible rumours and tackle law and order.

Hardik and 35 of his supporters, who were detained from Varachha area in Surat earlier in the day, were produced before a magistrate in Surat who granted them bail on a personal bond of Rs 1000 each, following which he was released late on Saturday night.

An FIR was lodged against Hardik for violating prohibitory orders, police said.

"We have arrested Hardik Patel. An FIR was registered against him under section 188 for violation of prohibitory orders," said Surat Police commissioner Rakesh Asthana.

Hardik's arrest sparked protest in Rabari Colony and Bapunagar area in Ahmedabad where a mob tried to block National Highway number 8.

"A few incidents of sporadic violence were reported in Ramol, Nikol and Bapunagar area but those were not serious in the nature," DCP Sweta Shrimali told PTI.

In Ramol area in Ahmedabad, members of Patel and Rabari communities clashed, prompting police to lob two rounds of teargas shells to disperse the mob, said police inspector P I Solanki.

In Kamrej and Kapodara area of Surat, a scuffle erupted between the police and members of public but nobody was injured.

In Botad town of Saurashtra region and in Surat city, incidents of vandalising the state transport buses were reported, said president of Gujarat State Road Transport Corporation (GSRTC) Pankaj Kumar.

Following the protest, ST buses heading towards Junagadh, Rajkot, and Surat districts were halted for some time to avoid any damages of property and public life, Kumar said.

Patel community members had earlier blocked roads in Navasari, Morbi, Mehsana, Amreli and Jamnagar districts.

-PTI