Himmatnagar (Gujarat): A case has been registered against 1,000 individuals, including former Congress MLA Jashubhai Patel, following a violent protest by dairy farmers outside Sabar Dairy in Gujarat’s Sabarkantha district, police officials said on Tuesday.
The protest turned violent on Monday near Himmatnagar, with dairy farmers demanding a hike in milk procurement prices. The unrest led to injuries, property damage, and clashes with the police.
47 Arrested So Far; Hunt On for More
Deputy Superintendent of Police A.K. Patel confirmed that 47 people have been arrested so far, and efforts are underway to apprehend others, including Jashubhai Patel, who is also a director of Sabar Dairy, officially known as the Sabarkantha District Cooperative Milk Producers’ Union.
The First Information Report (FIR) was lodged at Himmatnagar ‘A’ Division Police Station, naming 74 identified individuals among approximately 1,000 accused.
Violence During Protest
According to the police, the situation escalated when protestors began hurling stones at police personnel and damaged the main gate of the dairy.
“Three police officers were injured, and four police vehicles were damaged during the stone pelting. Nearly 50 tear gas shells had to be lobbed to control the mob,” DySP Patel said.
Death Rumour Denied by Post-Mortem
There were reports of a protestor, Ashok Patel, dying during the incident. However, police clarified that post-mortem findings revealed no external injuries, indicating he did not die due to violence during the protest.
Investigations Continue
Authorities have assured that further investigation is ongoing, and more arrests are likely as they identify and track down others involved in the unrest.
The protest highlighted growing tensions between milk producers and dairy management over procurement pricing, an issue that continues to affect the dairy sector in the region.