Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Kanu Kalsariya and 42 party workers were sent to jail today after they refused to seek bail from court following their arrest for alleged unlawful assembly, rioting and attack on police.
According to the police, 52 persons, AAP workers and locals, were arrested at Karmadiya village in Mahuva tehsil of Bhavnagar district this morning.
Gujarat AAP had announced a 55-km footmarch from Karmadiya to Dodiya to protest alleged sale of 'gauchar' land (common land reserved for grazing cattle) to a private firm by the government.
"We had denied them permission but some people led by Kalsariya gathered at Karmadiya this morning to hold the march. When we tried to stop them, some of them attacked the police and hurled stones. So we arrested 52 persons, including Kalsariya," said Inspector V S Manjaria.
They were charged with IPC sections 143 (unlawful assembly), 147 (rioting), 332 (causing hurt to public servant) and 186 (obstructing public servant).
"Nine of them were released by the court on bail. 43 others, including Kalsariya, refused to seek bail. So the court sent them in judicial custody. We have lodged them in Bhavnagar Central Prison," added inspector Manjaria.
AAP's Gujarat spokesperson Harshil Nayak refuted allegations that police were attacked. "On the contrary, police thrashed them mercilessly. To protest the brutality, Kalsariya and others refused to seek bail," said Nayak.
