Court acquits 14 persons accused of setting ablaze police bike in Patidar agitation in 2015

Jamnagar, May 31 (PTI) A Jamnagar court on Tuesday acquitted 14 people accused of setting a police motorcycle on fire during the August 2015 Patidar reservation agitation.

The court of Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate NR Pathar ordered the acquittal of all the 14 accused, including former Congress corporator Atul Bhanderi, for want of evidence, their lawyer Hasmukh Moliya said.

The 14 were shown as part of a mob of 50 persons that had set a police vehicle on fire when curfew was imposed in the city after state-wide violence broke out following a rally by stir leader Hardik Patel on August 25, 2015, in Ahmedabad.

The 14 were booked at the city A division police station under IPC sections 143 (unlawful assembly) and 435 (mischief by fire or explosive) as well as other offences, Moliya said.

Their acquittal came nearly two weeks after a court here acquitted 10 persons who were similarly accused of being a part of the Patidar agitation and setting a state transport bus on fire in Jodiya.

An agitation demanding OBC status for the Patidar community had turned violent in August 2015, leading to the death of 12 people and damage to public and private property worth several crore rupees due to arson and vandalism.

Court's order has come at a time when the leader of the Patidar agitation Hardik Patel is set to join Gujarat state ruling party BJP on June 2.