Gujarat :Tension grips in Vadodara after stone pelting outside police station by mob over Instagram comment

Vadodara : Tension erupted outside the Navapura police station in Vadodara as a mob of over 100 people unleashed violence, pelting stones on a group of Hindu organization members gathered to lodge a complaint regarding abusive comments made on social media. The incident, stemming from a derogatory Instagram post, escalated rapidly, resulting in injuries to several protestors and prompting police intervention.

The Vadodara police has lodged complaint against 22 people, out of which 10 have been arrested.

A peaceful protest outside the Navapura police station in Vadodara turned violent when a mob of over 100 individuals attacked members of a Hindu organization with stones, creating a chaotic scene of unrest and tension. The incident unfolded following a complaint lodged by Jatin Patel, who sought legal action against Shahid Patel for making derogatory comments on his Instagram post, sparking outrage among the Hindu community.

According to reports, the situation escalated swiftly as members of Hindu organizations converged outside the police station, demanding the apprehension of Shahid Patel and swift justice. Chanting ‘Jay Shri Ram’ slogans, the protestors stood firm in their demand for accountability, refusing to disperse until their grievances were addressed.

However, the peaceful demonstration took a violent turn when a large mob of individuals, reportedly from the Khatkiwad area, descended upon the scene and launched a barrage of stones at the Hindu group, resulting in injuries to several protestors. The sudden eruption of violence sent shockwaves through the locality, prompting swift police intervention to restore order and disperse the agitated crowds.

Jatin Patel, the complainant in the case, narrated the sequence of events leading up to the confrontation. In his complaint filed at the Navapura police station, Patel recounted how he went live on Instagram to interact with customers and announce offers for his mobile accessories shop on February 21.

Complainant Jatin Patel in his complaint at Navapura police station said he went live on Instagram on 21st February at 7.23 pm and greeted his customers with Jay Shri Ram. Patel runs a shop of mobile accessories. He often goes live to announce the offers for his customers.

Jatin Patel in his complaint further said, while he was announcing offers, a person from sahid-patel-7070 Insta id wrote abusive comment which could hurt religious sentiment. When looked into it, Jatin Patel found that the person who used abusive language was Sahid Patel from Gujarat Housing Board, opposite Mahalakshmi Society in Padra area of city. When dialed a phone call, Sahid didn’t received it and deleted the photo-comment.

Disturbed by the abusive remarks that could potentially hurt religious sentiments, Jatin Patel and members of Hindu organizations attempted to confront Sahid Patel at his residence, only to find him absent. Subsequent attempts to reach Sahid via phone were met with further hostility, as he continued to use abusive language and issued provocative challenges.

In response to the violent altercation, the Navapura police have filed a complaint against the mob of assailants and initiated efforts to locate and apprehend the accused individuals. The incident has reignited concerns over communal tensions and the need for stringent measures to curb hate speech and maintain social harmony.