A joyous New Year's celebration in a Bhopal neighbourhood descended into chaos and violence in the early hours of Thursday, leaving several young men injured and one fighting for his life. The incident, stemming from a seemingly trivial dispute over firecrackers, has cast a shadow over the New Year festivities in the Kamla Nagar area.
How a Festive Night Turned Violent
According to the police, the sequence of events began shortly after midnight on Thursday. Sumit Raut, a 20-year-old private sector employee and resident of Kamla Nagar, was celebrating the arrival of the New Year with his friends. To escape the chill, the group had gathered around a fire downstairs.
Meanwhile, another group from the same locality, identified by police as Prakash, Manish, Sunil Kumar, Rahul Singh, and Amit Kumar, were also celebrating and bursting firecrackers nearby. The trouble started when this group allegedly moved closer to Sumit and his friends while lighting their firecrackers.
Sumit and his companions objected and asked them to step back for safety. This objection quickly spiraled into a heated argument. The police report states that the situation escalated rapidly, with the accused group launching a physical assault on Sumit's friends.
The Assault and Injuries
The confrontation turned extremely violent. The accused first attacked with kicks and punches before escalating to using sticks and pelting stones. In the brutal assault, Jatin Pathak, another 20-year-old resident, sustained a grave head injury after being struck with a stick. He was reported to be in critical condition following the incident.
Sumit Raut also suffered injuries in the clash. In total, approximately half a dozen young men were injured in the melee that erupted in the residential colony.
Police Action and Aftermath
By the time law enforcement officials arrived at the scene, the injured had already been rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment. Officers gathered details of the violent clash from the victims and witnesses at the medical facility.
The police have taken swift action, registering a case under serious sections of the Indian Penal Code related to assault and attempted murder. All the accused individuals involved in the attack have been arrested. The investigation is ongoing as authorities piece together the complete details of the New Year's night violence that disrupted the peace in Kamla Nagar.
This incident serves as a grim reminder of how quickly celebratory moments can turn dangerous, prompting calls for greater public awareness and caution during festivals.
