Violence Erupts During Ahmedabad Rath Yatra: 11 Dead, Curfew Imposed
On July 10, 1986, communal violence broke out in the Dariapur-Shahpur areas of Ahmedabad's walled city during the annual rath yatra procession, resulting in 11 deaths and nearly 80 injuries. An indefinite curfew has been imposed in the affected areas. Official sources reported that the violence began when the procession was subjected to heavy stone-throwing in the Chandan Talavdi locality of Dariapur, forcing the processionists to alter their route. This incident follows a previous wave of communal violence that claimed 300 lives in the city last year.
In another development, Union Petroleum Minister Chandra Shekhar Singh died at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi, where he was undergoing treatment for liver cancer. He was 60 years old and had served as the Chief Minister of Bihar before his ministerial role.
In Haryana, police used lathi-charge to disperse an unruly mob at a Haryana Sangharsh Samiti meeting. The agitators, primarily from the Lok Dal, turned violent and set fire to a state transport bus, two jeeps, and a furniture shop. The Express photographer Karter Singh's car was also damaged. Police arrested 200 persons in connection with the incident.
In Sri Lanka, authorities imposed a curfew in the northeastern city of Trincomalee after 21 people were reported killed in two incidents. Residents of the port city reported that six of the victims were believed to be members of the same Tamil family.
