According to eye witnesses, stone pelting ensued after a brick was hurled at a Tazia procession undertaken by local Muslims near Koyali Faliya area of Fatehpura in the walled city. Police then hurled tear gas cells at the mob. The Internet Ban imposed by the police did not work
Photo Courtesy: Indian Express
VADODARA: Vadodara, sensitive from having had several bouts of communal violence, was witness to one more as clashes erupted at Kotiyarknagar near Panigate on Sunday,October 2, Gandhi Jayanti, compelling the police to open fire in air. The conflict began when the Muharram Tazia procession was attacked: a brick was hurled at the processionists. Teargas shells were lobbed to disperse the mobs that gathered after a man was stabbed on Waghodia Road on Sunday afternoon.
The city has seen a series of incidents since Septmeber 29, that is over four days. One person was reportedly stabbed in Champaner Gate even as the city police struggled to maintain peace in the communally sensitive areas that have been witnessing rioting since last Thursday. Two more SRPF companies were deployed to contain the situation, police said. The administration then tried to control matters by blocking internet services but this too did ot work.
Communal violence had erupted in Yakutpura, Panjrapole, Fatehpura and Kumbharvada on Thursday after some derogatory posts about a religion were put on social networking site Facebook. The police department's step of suspending mobile internet services and bulk text messages didn't help much as riots kept spreading from one area to other on Saturday night. City police commissioner, E Radhakrishna had cited rumour-mongering as the reason behind suspending mobile internet services. With police struggling to quell riots, Director General of Police P C Thakur had to rush to the city and hold a meeting with senior police officials, the Times of India reported.
Thakur was forced to hold a meeting at 2am near Mandvi Gate in the city. While situation appeared normal on Sunday morning, when trouble began in Kotiyarknagar in noon when Shailesh Rajput, a tea-vendor was stabbed at Kala Darshan crossroads. Rajput was stabbed in the back by some unidentified persons who came on a motorbike. He was rushed to SSG Hospital and admitted to the ICU.
Soon after, mobs belonging to both predominant communities gathered at Kotiyarknagar and started pelting stones. Policemen fired one round in air and lobbed teargas shells to disperse the mob. Tension prevailed in Wadi, Fatehpura, Yakutpura and Gendigate.State finance minister Nitin Patel also rushed to the city and attended a peace committee meeting organized by the police department. "We have identified persons involved in rioting and the process to arrest the accused is on. We have formed several teams to investigate the cases and nab the accused," Radhakrishnan told TOI.
According to eye witnesses speaking to the Times of India, stone pelting ensued after a brick was hurled at a Tazia procession undertaken by local Muslims near Koyali Faliya area of Fatehpura in the walled city. Soon, groups from both communities came face to face and attacked each other.
Several units of the city police also rushed to the site to calm the situation. A senior officer said, “The incident occurred after 10:30 pm when a Tazia procession was passing close to a Hindu neighbourhood. Locals claim that a miscreant hurled a brick at the procession and the misunderstanding led to a clash. However, due to prompt police action and heavy rains simultaneously, the crowds dispersed and the situation was brought under control.”