Surat: Police arrested a 22-year-man on Saturday for allegedly writing a provocative message with regard to the ongoing Patidar agitation for reservation and circulating it through social media.
The accused ruled out any compromise with the state government and threatened of dangerous repercussions if Alpesh Kathiriya, PAAS convener of Surat, was not released.
Janak Babu Barvaliya, a resident of Sarthana area, was arrested by police for sharing the message on social media. The accused was later released on bail. Barvaliya, an employee of a textile unit, in his message said: “Compromise without Alpesh Kathiriya is like driving a vehicle without petrol. Keep in mind! Without Alpesh nothing is acceptable and (if he is not released) the end will be bad.”
The message came to the notice of the cops who now regularly monitor social media groups on internet and mobile phones. “We tracked the person and arrested him within a short period of time after registration of the complaint,” a crime branch officer said.
“The accused told the police that he wrote and shared the message out of excitement. He had no specific reason for sharing this message,” police said.
Meanwhile, police found another objectionable message which was shared by a youth that read, “Police in Surat slapped a Patidar youth 10 times.” When police traced the message, its author was found to be a youth from Vadodara. His parents were informed about the youth’s act but no legal action was taken.”
Police detained 32 youths from different areas falling under the limits of Kapodra and Sarthana police stations on Saturday. They were detained from outside schools and colleges while trying to force closure of the educational institutions.
