Guwahati: Tourist-vendor clash in Paltan Bazar leaves 2 injured; 3 held

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: A clash between a group of tourists from Punjab and roadside vendors triggered tension in Guwahati’s Paltan Bazar on Saturday evening.

According to reports, a group of 10 tourists from Punjab had arrived in Guwahati four days earlier and were staying at a hotel in Paltan Bazar. The group had booked three rooms.

The incident occurred when some members of the group came downstairs to purchase items from roadside shops. An argument reportedly broke out between the tourists and some vendors over a minor issue before escalating into a physical altercation.

The vendors alleged that some tourists assaulted them using the metal bangles, or Karas, they were carrying. Two vendors, identified as Niresh Shah and Umesh Shah, reportedly sustained serious injuries. The incident was captured on the hotel’s CCTV cameras, while footage recorded on mobile phones also surfaced.

The tourists, however, alleged that the vendors had provoked the confrontation. They claimed that a woman from their group was allegedly touched by one of the vendors before the altercation. The woman was also seen reacting to the incident in the available footage.  Both sides subsequently approached the police, with the tourist group filing a complaint against the vendors.

After examining CCTV and mobile phone footage, Guwahati Police detained three tourists in connection with the alleged assault. They were identified as Manni Singh, Mindar Singh and Anmol Singh.

Police were examining the available footage to establish the sequence of events and determine the circumstances that led to the clash.

Meanwhile, members of the tourist group were reportedly attempting to reach a compromise with the vendors and settle the matter amicably.

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