Surat: Police arrested two persons on Monday for their alleged involvement in a case of torching of two state transport buses in Surat in February 2016. Police have started taking action against Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) members in old cases since Prime Minister is scheduled to visit the state, PAAS leaders alleged.On Tuesday police arrested Jignesh alias Jigo Vaghasiya, 26, a resident of L H Road and Mahendra Baldha, 26, a resident of Katargam. They are accused along with other supporters who stopped two buses near Simada naka in limits of Sarthana police station and torched them in February 2016.The accused were booked for attempt to murder, rioting, unlawful assembly, damaging public property etc.“The accused had first planned to block the highway by torching vehicles after the arrest of PAAS leaders. They assembled at an office in Sarthana and decided to target the buses. The two went with a group to Simada and torched the two state transport buses,” a crime branch officer said.The accused first threw stones at the two buses, looted mobile phones of the drivers and ticket issuing machines of the conductors.“Names of the accused came up during investigation and hence they were arrested. We will arrest all those who were involved in such crimes since rioters are now regularly torching buses during protests,” a police officer said. “Police are taking action against PAAS leaders and members to show that the state government is doing a good job. They are not even allowing us to hold fast,” said Dharmik Malaviya, convener of PAAS in Surat.PAAS denied its involvement in torching of BRTS bus in the city on Sunday. “Active PAAS members were already detained by crime branch and therefore how can PAAS be involved in this?” asked Malaviya.PAAS leader Hardik Patel, who was in the city for a hearing in his case, said that two youth arrested in connection with Sunday’s arson case were allegedly beaten up by cops. Hardik also visited the house of Alpesh Kathiriya, arrested in a sedition case on Sunday.

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