Udaipur was in the grips of communal tensions on Friday, August 16, following a knife attack against a Hindu student by a student allegedly belonging to the Muslim community.
The altercation between two students led to Hindu organisations closing markets in various parts of the city.
The attack took place around 10:30 AM in the Surajpol police station area, where one student injured another with a knife before fleeing the scene.
The injured student was quickly taken to Maharana Bhupal (MB) Hospital by teachers, where he is now receiving treatment in the ICU. Outraged by the incident, people have forced the closure of shops in the Chetak Circle, Hathipole, Ashwini Market, Bapu Bazaar, and Ghantaghar areas. Police have been deployed as a precautionary measure.
District Education Officer Lokesh Bharti mentioned that both minors, around 15 years old, are classmates at the Government Senior Secondary School, Bhatiyani Chohatta.
The exact cause of the dispute between the two students remains unclear, but they clashed outside the school during lunchtime. One of the students stabbed the other two to three times in the thigh. As the injured student began screaming, teachers hurried to the scene.
The child’s parents were notified and rushed to MB Hospital, accompanied by a large number of residents. Police forces have been stationed at the hospital to ensure order is maintained.
Residents took to the streets after the incident, vandalising property, setting a garage on fire, and overturning several vehicles in the Sardarpura area. In response to the unrest, Udaipur Collector and District Magistrate Arvind Poswal imposed Section 144 in the city, instructing officials to enforce the order rigorously.
Kanhaiya Lal murder roils Udaipur
The knife attack, for many, brought back the memories of the horrifying incident witnessed two years ago, when two Islamists, egged on by the Sar Tan Se Juda protests sparked in the wake of Alt News cofounder Mohammed Zubair’s dog whistling against Nupur Sharma, brutally killed a Hindu tailor for supporting the beleaguered former BJP spokesperson.
On 28th June 2022, two Islamists, Mohammed Riyaz Attari and Gaus Mohammed, killed Hindu tailor Kanhaiya Lal and circulated the video of the crime online to send a message to supporters of Nupur Sharma. The murder was allegedly motivated by a social media post by Kanhaiya Lal in support of former BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma. Following the post, he received threats and got calls for his arrest.
On 15th June 2022, Lal reportedly filed a complaint with the local police seeking protection. However, the police did not take any concrete action, and he was left vulnerable. Kanhaiya Lal kept the shop shut for a few days after receiving threats. Eventually, he had to open the shop, which led to the attack. The two Islamists were arrested soon after the murder and charged with premeditated murder and criminal conspiracy. Their trial is currently ongoing.
