FIR against Dalit leader Jignesh Mevani over workers' rally

A first information report has been lodged against the Dalit leader Jignesh Mevani, social activist Amrish Patel and others for allegedly damaging the public property and holding a rally here on Monday without police permission.
Mevani and others had led a rally of sanitation workers employed by the city civic body on contract basis and bus conductors of the civic bus service, on Monday, over demands such as permanent jobs.
The rally had been called by Jan Sangharsh Manch and Rashtriya Dalit Adhikar Manch. During the rally, hundreds of workers were detained.
Police said today the agitators assembled outside the Municipal corporation's headquarters without police permission, blocked the road and shouted anti-government slogans.

They also tried to stop the traffic at a busy intersection during a peak hour, police said in a release.
When the agitators were detained by the police, they damaged a police vehicle by breaking glass panes, vandalising seats and also beat up the driver, police said.
An FIR was filed in Navrangpura police station under various sections of IPC including 143 (unlawful assembly), 146 (rioting), 332 (hurting public servant), 341 (wrongful restraint), etc, as well as under Prevention of Damage to the Public Property Act.