Surat violence: Court remands 23 accused to two-day police custody after protest leaves cops injured

Police produce the accused arrested for pelting stones at a Ganesh pandal in a court at Surat, on Tuesday. Pic/PTI

A court in Surat on Tuesday remanded 23 out of 27 people to two days of police custody after they were arrested on charges of rioting and attempted murder during a protest against the detention of six minors accused of pelting stones at a Lord Ganesh pandal. The protest, which took place outside a police outpost in Surat, turned violent on September 8, injuring several police officers, news agency PTI reported.

The 27 accused were presented in court, where the police sought a 14-day remand to investigate if the violence was part of a pre-planned conspiracy. Judicial Magistrate First Class JP Prajapati, after hearing the plea, remanded 23 of the accused to two days of police custody. Four others were sent to jail under judicial remand owing to health issues.

The arrests were made on Monday evening, with charges including attempted murder, unlawful assembly, rioting, causing hurt, and destruction of property filed on the accused. They were brought before the court on Tuesday.

Inspector KV Patel of Lalgate police station requested a 14-day remand, stating the need for thorough interrogation to determine if the rioting was premeditated.

Patel explained that minors had allegedly thrown stones at the pandal during the ongoing Ganpati festival in Saiyedpura locality in Surat, damaging the idol.

Following the detention of six minors involved in the incident, a mob of 200 to 300 people gathered outside the Lalgate police outpost, protesting the action.

The mob pelted stones at the police, causing head injuries to two officers and minor injuries to several others. The police argued in court that they needed time to investigate whether there was a mastermind behind the riots, potentially aiming to disturb communal harmony in the city.

Inspector Patel emphasised that the police needed custody for identity parades and questioning. He raised concerns about how the mob managed to gather such a large number of stones, despite there being no nearby construction site, and whether the mob arrived at the police outpost armed with stones.

Three separate FIRs were registered at Lalgate police station in Surat concerning the attacks on both the Ganesh pandal and the police outpost.

(With PTI inputs)