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Journalism of Courage
The calm was shattered in Vadodara on the last day of the Ganesh festival after incidents of rioting claimed three lives and injured 24 others. One person was killed in police firing and two stabbed to death when clashes broke out during a procession in the Hathikhana locality.
The clashes broke out after an altercation between members of a procession and a group emerging from a mosque after prayers. A rumour that a Ganesh idol had been damaged by a stone thrown from Hathikhana only made matters worse. The police lobbed several tear-gas shells and then fired in the air, leading to commotion and a minor stampede. A nine-year-old-girl, Rabeena, and her father, Salim, were injured when they were hit by shells.
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The end of Ganeshotsav, the beginning of tension all over again in Vadodara. Chandan Giri
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The pitched battle between the two groups continued for about half an hour despite the heavy police presence. Several processions were either headed towards half a dozen immersion sites or were on their way when the Hathikhana incident took place. They trundled on, seemingly unmindful of the violence in their midst. Some processionists even threatened to damage shops in the Mandvi locality, but were dispersed after the police resorted to a lathicharge.
Violence was also reported from other areas in Vadodara—Nawabwada, Machhipith, Raopura, Nagarwada, Champaner Gate, Chokhandi Gate and Yakutpura. Police Commissioner D D Tuteja said the decison to impose a curfew would be arrived at after the immersions.
In Ahmedabad, apart from stone-pelting in Raikhad and Gomtipur, the last day of Ganeshotsav passed off relatively peacefully. Clashes were reported from Sutharwada in Gomtipur, after a cyclist and a scooterist from different collided.
Stone-pelting followed—S M Khatri, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Zone V, was injured and a police jeep was damaged. A similar incident was reported from Raikhad, after a minor altercation between members of two communities.
