Police Respond Violently To Protestors In Bhapor
December 4749
Bhapor City - Police conflicts with demonstrators in the city of Bhapor have left dozens injured and five people in intensive care. The youngest is only 5 years old, and was fired upon by mistake after a police counter-terror operation went wrong in the city embroiled in constant unrest. Furthermore, Vascania News has learnt that these were some of the police brought in from other states to counter unrest in the region.
Officers were responding to reports of terrorist sympathisers planning to disguise as peaceful protestors in order to get close to officers. Their plan was suspected to be the use of bricks to break police lines and then capture police as hostages. Police attempted to uncover the terrorists before their plan could be achieved, after a tip was given at the local police HQ, however they mistook innocent civilians for the plotters. According to one eye witness, police thought that a group of bricklayers working on fixing a shop damaged by looters were in fact disguised would-be-assailants. Law enforcement is rumoured to have used small-game hunting rifles and tasers against the group.
Outcry has been fierce in response to the injuries sustained, though nobody has died as of yet. Many, including Bhapor Mayor Mohan Shrivara, have questioned why potentially deadly weaponry was used against civilians based only on 'a suspicion' - as Mr Shrivara put it. Speaking to Vascania News, the Mayor said this:
The police have shockingly overreacted based on a suspicion alone, causing massive hurt and worsening the situation in our beloved city. Why police would use hunting rifles before even questioning the suspect is beyond belief. These Rajutti police simply seem to think that all Bhaporis are criminals and a threat to them. I see no other explanation that the most vile form of racism.