Leader of the Patidar agitation in Gujarat Hardik Patel was released from Lajpore Central Jail in Surat on Friday. On July 8, the Gujarat High Court had granted him bail in two sedition cases, but it had directed him to stay out of the state for the next six months. Three days later, the court gave him bail in the case of rioting in Visnagar but barred him from entering Mehsana district for nine months.

The 23-year-old leader of the Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti had been leading agitations, demanding Other Backward Class status and 27% reservation in government jobs and education for the Patel community. He had been in jail since October last year, when he was detained on sedition charges.

On Thursday night, hours before Patel was scheduled to be released, police imposed Section 144, which prohibits the assembly of more than four to five people. Patel's samiti organised a roadshow to celebrate his release from the centraal jail, The Indian Express reported.