On the final day of campaigning ahead of V-Day on Tuesday, a joint effort by citizens and the police saw a potentially dangerous
situation being diffused. Miscreants had garlanded the Ambedkar statue at Buddha Vihar, a community centre in Dharampeth.
The police, who were called in took down the garland and some locals rushed in to sooth frayed tempers, thereby avoiding a possible bloodbath. Subodh Ukey, a local resident, told TOI, “Members of the mahila mandal spotted the garland at 7am. They raised an alarm and also called in the police. Things were turning for the worse but cops along with some of my friends went about calming down some people who were threatening to turn violent.
Had it not been for us, things would have taken a turn for the worse.” Even though there was calm in Dharampeth, antisocial elements created mischief in other parts of the city. A tyre was set on fire near Awde Square in Pachpaoli and a group of motorcycle-riding youths went about warning shopkeepers in Dharampeth area to shut shops.