AHMEDABAD: Tension erupted in Vadodara’s old city on Friday night after a controversial AI-generated social media post targeting minority religious sentiments went viral.
Crowds clashed, stones were thrown, and more than 50 people were detained as police restored order amid heightened communal anxiety.
Vadodara witnessed a sharp spike in communal tension late Friday after the viral post inflamed locals in the old city area. The locality became a flashpoint as residents gathered in large numbers, creating a highly volatile situation and hurling stones.
Police rushed to the scene as the mob’s anger escalated, attempting to prevent the situation from spiralling out of control.
The unrest quickly spread to the Vadodara City Police Station, where a mob demanded strict action against the individual responsible for the post. A heavy police presence, including convoys and barricades, was deployed to manage the crowd.
About 50 suspects linked to the stone-throwing incident were taken into custody by the Crime Branch from the police station, further intensifying tensions in the area.
City police moved swiftly, filing complaints against the accused for spreading communal provocation and registering cases of rioting. Additional security measures were put in place, including two policemen stationed outside the city police station to prevent escalation, while police patrolled the Junagadhi area to maintain calm.
Additional Police Commissioner Lina Patil confirmed that separate police and Crime Branch teams intervened promptly, calming the crowd and restoring peace in the affected areas.
Addl CP Lina Patil said, “There was an incident in the city’s old area that hurt religious sentiments. Following this, a crowd gathered outside the police station. Our teams, including separate units from the local police and Crime Branch, immediately intervened to control the situation. The matter has now been contained, and peace has been restored. Police personnel remain deployed in different areas to ensure continued safety, and action is being taken against all those involved in inciting communal tension.”
DCP Andrew McEwan added that the viral video had triggered the unrest and that police conducted combing operations across the city to prevent further incidents.
“Legal action has been taken on the viral post and rioting incidents. More than 50 people have been detained so far,” DCP McEwan said, underscoring the police’s resolve to curb any communal flare-ups.