Hardik Patel resurfaces after mysterious 'disappearance'

The High Court on Wednesday directed the Gujarat Police to produce Patel

Having resurfaced after his mysterious 'disappearance' on Tuesday, Patidar agitation leader Hardik Patel is likely to be produced before the high court here on Thursday. The court on Wednesday directed the Gujarat Police to produce Patel.

However, there are conflicting versions on Patel's sudden disappearance. Patel's lawyer BM Mangukiya had filed a habeas corpus petition in the high court, alleging that his client has been illegally detained by the police. The police, however, dismissed the allegation and instead declared the convenor of the Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) 'missing'.

The police had said Patel had fled on Tuesday when the police tried to detain him for holding a public meeting without prior permission in Bayad village of Aravalli district in North Gujarat. About 15 of Hardik's associates were detained by the police in Ahmedabad and Surat, even as a case was registered against them. The associates were, however, released on Wednesday.

However, Patel's associates claimed that on Wednesday evening the young Patidar leader was 'found' near Dhrangadhra town in Surendranagar district of Gujarat, where he was abducted by "people with weapons".

According to his associates, Patel was threatened for an entire night by unidentified persons before being left at a village in Dhrangdhara taluka of Surendranagar.

However, according to Gandhinagar Range IG Hasmukh Patel, the 22-year-old had gone missing and is now learnt to be "somewhere between Dhrangadhra and Halwad towns of Surendranagar" and will be produced before the high court.

Patel alleged that the state administration was trying to break his agitation by "implicating its leaders in false cases".