At the scene,emotions still raw

“There is still a sense of injustice in the area,” said Jaywant Hire (45),an activist and journalist. “First because what happened that day was a brutal act,the people who were shot at were not even part of the protest but were those going to work from the other side of the Ramabai Ambedkar Nagar. Kadam should be hanged and more importantly,the people behind the desecration should be sought out. Lastly,the case that has been made against the victims claiming they were part of a mob who were about to burn a gas tanker should be withdrawn,” he said.

Hire’s sentiments are echoed throughout the area. “My nephew and his family were going out in the morning when the firing began. His head was blown out by a bullet. When his parents tried to take his body,they were told they would be shot if they touched it,” said Sushma Shivsharan. “He was only 14. His parents couldn’t bear to live here any longer. Kadam should hang.”

“I saw my husband being shot 11 times as he left to go to work. He still has medical problems. I even saw my neighbour die as a bullet hit his back. Even now I have nightmares about the incident,” said Mangala Gaikwad (38),a railway employee.

Apart from the anger,some residents feel that an injustice has been done to them as they have been named as accused in a rioting case. Raghumati Jadhav(38),a railway employee,said,“I was on my way back home after I saw there were no buses when I got a bullet on my leg.”

Milind Paghare(29) said,“A tear gas shell came into my house and burst right at my leg burning my skin.”

The sentiment is aptly summed up by Sudevi Giri (35),who was shot twice on her right hand at her doorstep while she was pulling her son in. “I only found out about the statue and the commotion when I reached the hospital. Today I find that I have also been accused of rioting.”