2 min readVadodaraSep 28, 2014 11:08 AM IST
First published on: Sep 28, 2014 at 02:56 AM IST
Heavy police presence across the city on Saturday. (Source: Express)
The slow-burning violence in Vadodara escalated on Saturday evening after a man was stabbed in the Yakutpura area of the city. In the morning, mobile data services were suspended until September 30 to block out rumours on social media.
The violence that broke out on Thursday, the first day of Navratri after an objectionable picture was circulated on WhatsApp, spread to the old city areas of Panigate, Wadi, Yakutpura and Fatehpura on Saturday. Members of both communities threw stones and petrol bombs at each other.
Police burst around three dozen teargas shells and fired eight rounds in the air after an attempt was allegedly made to set a police chowki on fire.
A violent clash broke out in the Taiwadi area after a 28-year old man was attacked with swords in the Janmangal ni pol of Muslim-dominated Yakutpura, witnesses said. As the severely injured man was rushed to SSG Hospital, mobs took to the streets to avenge the attack.
Residents of the walled city said tensions ran high after an argument between two groups in Fatehpura around 8.30 pm. The police, SRPF and RAF units hunkered down in the area, and Police Commissioner E Radhakrishnaiah was out on the street himself. Police were “bringing the situation under control”, he said.
There were allegations — denied by the police — that 10 youths had been rounded up from a local garba for violating prohibitory orders. Organisers of the garba said they had had to plead with the police to let the youths go. “We were not involved in any rioting, and were targeted for no reason,” one of the youths said.
A city police officer said the police were only doing their job.
“We are just dispersing all people from the streets to prevent any more clashes. The situation is under control although there is tension. Our forces are deployed everywhere now. We have also called in local community leaders from both sides to advise them to maintain calm,” the officer said.
Heavy police presence across the city on Saturday. (Source: Express)
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