Police arrest 5 PAAS leaders, release them later on bail

RAJKOT: Five leaders of the Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) including its Saurashtra convener Lalit Vasoya were arrested from Dhoraji town on Monday late night following an FIR filed against him on February 21 at Jetpur police station. They were released on bail on Tuesday. The PAAS leaders were to attend a chintan shibir in Dhoraji on Tuesday.
Earlier, on February 21, Jetpur town police had arrested 15 PAAS members after a complaint was lodged against 32 persons in connection with a scuffle between PAAS workers and members of Leuva Patel Samaj Group (LPSG) in Jetpur town.
The scuffle broke when a team led by Patidar quota leader Hardik Patel passed through the Sardar Patel chowk in Jetpur. Hardik was scheduled to hold a public meeting in Devki Galol village in Jetpur.
On Monday night, police arrested Vasoya, Kalpesh Patel, Jagdish Pambhar, Amit Thummar and Jignesh Thummar. All five PAAS members were released on bail on Tuesday.
The Rajkot district administration had issued prohibitory orders and banned assembly of four or more persons at a place in the district.
“Government did not want us to hold the chintan sibir and therefore they arrested us. We will now announce next date of chintan sibir soon,” Vasoya said after his release.