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Eight killed in Gujarat violence, Army called in more places

by IBNS 26 Aug 2015, 11:51 pm

Ahmedabad, Aug 27 (IBNS) Eight people, including a policeman, have died in continuing violence in several parts of Gujarat after the brief detention of 21-year-old Hardik Patel on Tuesday night in Ahmedabad.

The Army, which held flag marches in the state capital  on Wednesday, has also been deployed in Surat, Rajkot and Mehsana to restore law and order.

Eleven columns of the Army and 53 companies of paramilitary forces, besides the Gujarat Police, have been called in to control violence in Ahmedabad, Surat, Rajkot, Jamnagar, Morbi, Vadodara, Mehsana and Banaskantha.

Five people died on Tuesday night in Ahmedabad, two of them allegedly in police firing after protesters clashed with cops. Two people were killed in Palanpur in north Gujaraton Wednesday allegedly in police firing. A policeman who was injured during clashes in Surat on Wednesday morning, also died.
The Hardik Patel-led Patidar Anamat Sangarsh Samiti is demanding reservations for the  Patel community in government jobs and colleges.
The Samiti  has demanded for murder charges to be brought against the policemen  who allegedly fired at protesters. It has also demanded Rs. 30 lakh compensation for those killed in the violence in the state since Tuesday.
Curfew continues in several parts of Ahmedabad and Surat with schools and colleges remaining closed.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called for calm in the state. "Violence does not benefit anybody," the PM said in an appeal on television on Wednesday.