The Surat Police on Tuesday arrested 40 people including a Congress councilor in connection with a rioting case. All the 40 arrested persons have been sent to judicial custody. Last week, an unruly Muslim mob, despite being denied permission by the local authorities, had held a demonstration in the city and pelted stones at police. The mob was protesting against the killing of a Muslim man in Jharkhand last month. The mob had also damaged several vehicles during the protest.
Police said that besides a Congress councilor and his supporters, Versatile Minorities Forum (VMF) chief and volunteers of the forum have also been taken into custody. The Congress concillor has been identified as Aslam Cyclewala of Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC). Police said that arrest was done after officials managed to identify individuals by looking at the videos and CCTV footage of the incident.
lyn
According to police, the accused have been booked under Section 307 of IPC (pertaining to rioting and attempt of murder while attacking police personnel on the duty).
Eyewitnesses said that on July 5 (Friday), a rally was taken out from Chowk Bazar area. Since it was a Jumma, considered a holy and auspicious day for Muslims, scores of people from the community joined the rally. According to a report in The Indian Express, around 10,000 people joined the rally, holding banners condemning the lynching of Ansari.
When the rally reached near Vivekanand Circle, police stopped the protestors because they were not granted permission to go beyond that limit. The crowd then became violent and pelted stones at the police. The police had to resort to tear gas shelling to control the mob. The administration even imposed Section 144 in the region which is still in force.
