Postby Patni » 12 Aug 2012 10:50

The riots at Azad Maidan led to panic in the nearby colleges and hospitals.



State-run Cama and Albless Hospital, located a stone’s throw from the rioting spot, has close to 150 women and children admitted in the hospital at any given point of time.



“On hearing the firing we immediately closed the three main approach gates of the hospital,” said a medical officer at Cama hospital. The staff did not want to take any chances with the security as the hospital was attacked by LeT terrorists in 2008.



“At 3.30 pm, I was going towards Colaba when my taxi was stopped by a few people. They started banging the door and threatened the driver to come out of the taxi. They were all set to hit him, but we managed to escape,” said Nupur Rawat. When she turned back and saw vehicles engulfed by flames, she realised that it was something serious.



All shops around the Azad Maidan were shut down while the students of St Xavier’s College were trapped inside for almost 45 minutes.



“The college got over by 4.20 pm but we were not allowed to go out by the authorities. We were allowed to leave only by 5.30pm. Our parents were panicking and everybody was on the phone. Luckily nobody from our college got hurt in the incident,” said Karan Freese, student of Xavier’s College. “Some of our classmates panicked as we have never witnessed such incident before,” said Raj Betaille, another student.

My Father was near the spot at 3:20PM and went into Azad Maiden police station for safety seeing rioters. The police under assault from rioters had closed the entrance gates to police station itself and he had to show his ID card and shame them into allowing him inside the gate to get away from rampaging rioters, who by then had already caused injuries to dozens of police staff. He witnessed chaos in the lower ranks and how initial reaction of force was to retreat into the station mostly prompted by wanting to protect female cops, dad saw almost 30-40 of female cops on the ground floor of station rather shaken up! To full credit of the Mumbai police force, the seniors came down from upper floor offices of police station and got them organised quickly and lead them out armed with batons to get the rampaging mobs to disperse. By then he could hear fuel tanks of few media and police vans, set on fire by rioters, explode. I must say dad has developed huge respect for much maligned "pandu" seeing them at close quarters in such tensed up situation! It was basically dedication of force, mainly having only danda as weapon, that quickly reorganized and got handle on the situation where mob of least 400-500 was on rampage on street and spreading in all direction. Quiet a few of them brandishing hocky sticks which they used to smash glasses of 20 some BEST buses. The mob dispersed fast and ran away towards crawford market and behind CST. Dad got out from back gate at around 3:50 PM, towards CST and Times building and carried his 75 yrs old legs as fast as he could towards Police headquarter away from trouble and another pandu near Roopam store hailed down a taxi for him to get him away safely. The Mumbai Police under direct assult did wonderful to get situation under control and in ensuring that college student and most of the innocent public all stayed off the streets till they got situation under control by erecting quick barricades and road blocks and effectively containing the spread!