Several held in Surat after stone pelting at idol & protest at thana

SURAT: Surat city police arrested on Monday 27 people for allegedly protesting outside Saiyedpura police chowky and pelting stones on Sunday night. They were demanding the release of six boys who had been detained for allegedly throwing stones at a Ganesha idol in a pandal in the area.
Three FIRs were filed at Lal Gate police station for stone-pelting by the minors, the protests and stone-pelting by a mob, and burning of vehicles near Katargam Darwaja.Arrests are yet to be made for the arson.
At about 8 pm on Sunday some children sitting in an autorickshaw had allegedly pelted stones at the Ganesha idol in the pandal. They were held by local residents and handed over to police. The autorickshaw driver fled but was later called in for questioning by police. The minors' parents were also called for questioning.
"We are investigating multiple angles regarding the involvement of the teenagers. Meanwhile, we identified a few individuals pelting stones from rooftops or balconies. They have been arrested," a police officer said.
After the minors were detained, a group of local residents from their community started gathering outside Saiyedpura police chowky demanding the boys' release. After a while a group from another community started gathering nearby. The two groups then pelted stones at each other and some police personnel suffered minor injuries. Additional forces were called in as communal tension rose.
City police commissioner Anupam Singh Gahlaut arrived at the spot with senior officers. Police fired multiple tear gas shells and lathi-charged the crowd to disperse it.
Later, some people set fire to a few vehicles at Katargam Darwaja. "Those involved in setting fire to the vehicles are still at large. The 27 accused and detained minors will be produced in separate courts on Tuesday," a police officer said.