12 noon: At civil hospital
The searing sun at 12' o clock in the afternoon did not stop hundreds of people from venting their anger against the death of Vijay Datania, who was stabbed to death and burnt with acid. I saw the fury in the eyes of the people who did not want to leave any stone unturned to avenge Datania's death. The police personnel were present at the Civil Hospital campus and were trying to do everything to avert any untoward incident.
1:00 pm: At Tania Mahajan Ni Vadi, opposite Navi Pol
As the number of people attending Datania's funeral increases, the anger in the people goes up proportionately. Datania's relatives were requested by the police to speed up the funeral procession. As many as 20 police vans, including the DCP SM Katara and others were present and the funeral was completed by 2:00 pm.
4:30 pm: Shahpur to Relief Road
I finished talking to the family members of Datania at his residence to know the exact details of his death, when I was informed about the news of a fresh clash in Mirzapur. I packed my bag and rushed towards St Xavier's School, Mirzapur. As soon as I reached there, I saw pieces of an electronic gadget, burnt paper sheets and blood stains on the road. A few people were running inside the small corridors of St Xavier's school. The crowd dispersed when a police van passed by.
I decided not to leave my bike as it would help me flee from the spot if the angry crowd approached me. However, when I saw the paper sheets I thought of taking some pictures and immediately took out my camera and started clicking. I was stunned to see that the camera of a press photographer had been crushed by the crowd, as well as the two people stabbed by them. Someone said that the two people had tried to run towards the Rural Court.
I kickstarted my bike and went towards the court, only find two injured, Rajni Vankar and Sagar Thakore, soaked in blood.
They were stabbed near St Xavier's school. One of them was bleeding heavily and was stabbed on his thigh. Some advocates present in the parking lot of the court had already called the 108 ambulance. As soon as I reached there, the ambulance whisked both the stabbed persons to VS Hospital. It was around 5:15 by then.
There were other journalists and photographers present there and some among them were worried about the angry rioters who even targeted a photographer. By this time it was clear that the communal tension had slowly engulfed many areas in the old city.
I decided to move towards Relief Road. With my camera on shoot mode, I started from the Rural Court of Mirzapur and went to the crossroads of Kalupur Railway station. I saw the communal tension gripping the shopkeepers and residents. The shops were closed and the people started to form groups and discuss the riots on the periphery of their pols. The police vans were continuously patrolling the streets.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}