Vadodara, Mar 15: situation in the city is tense but under control after more than 20 people were injured in police firing and communal violence that broke out in the city during a Tazia procession on Muharram yesterday and continued till the wee hours today. Police has so far arrested 132 people in connection with the violence and rioting. Besides, two trucks carrying stones, iron pipes and other lethal weapons were seized at Madvi and police arrested all the 15 occupants in the trucks, police sources said. They said the violence, which erupted at around 1630 hrs yesterday near Sarasiya Talab, spread to most parts of the city as rioting mobs continued to fight on the streets till the wee hours today.
Police fired six rounds at Sarasiya Talab, leaving two people wounded. Violence and rioting were reported from more than a dozen places, including Fatehapur, Mehtapole, Yakutpura, Ranawas, Bhutdizampa, Champaner Darwaja, Ladwada, Gourav Society, Kumbharwada, Panjrigar Mohalla, Sarasiya Talab and Akota, sources said.
Police resorted to lathicharge and lobbed in all 30 teargas shells at these places.
The injured included Kirti Pandya, a photo journalist, and ACP Thakur's driver Manji Baremda, who was admitted to the SSG Hospital with an injury caused by a sharp-edged weapon at Sarasia Talab. According to Mr Thakur, the situation in the city was tense but under control and combing operation was on to nab the culprits involved in the violence.
Bureau Report