Congress leader Hardik Patel slapped at poll rally in Gujarat

Ahmedabad: Congress leader Hardik Patel was slapped by an unidentified man while addressing a poll rally on Friday in a village in Gujarat's Surendranagar district.

The incident was captured on cameras of news channels covering the rally in the district, around 130 km from here.

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As soon as Hardik Patel started his speech at Baldana village under Wadhwan taluka, a man suddenly came on the stage and slapped him.

The man, who looked angry and was seen saying something to Hardik Patel after slapping him, was overpowered by Congress workers, who also beat him up and took him away from the venue.

The unidentified man was later handed over to the police.

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Congress candidate for the Surendranagar Lok Sabha seat, Soma Patel, was present on the dais when Hardik Patel was assaulted.

According to Surendranagar SP, Mahendra Bagadia, the man is yet to be identified.

"We are yet to investigate who the man was and why he slapped Hardik. No one has lodged a complaint with us yet. We are investigating the matter," said Bagadia.

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(PTI)