It was friday night.. Around 8.30 issh.. 29 Nov 2006.. Earlier during the day, all of Pune had been under fire.. There was a lot of 'danga'.. Deccan Queen was set on fire.. Buses were pelted with stones and burned.. Civilian vehicles were set on fire... All this bcause the statue of Dr. Ambedkar had been tampered with in Kanpur, the earlier day..
This was the backdrop.. Around 4 in the evening, with curfew at a lot of places n all, the situation was supposedly quiet.. And so at 8.30 pm , I was out for about 15 mins on the road..
Suddenly we saw a mob setting fire to some buses parked harmlessly on the road..
They began throwing stones at one and all..
I fortunately was in the car.. Even with windows closed it was scary.. One stone hit the tire, though none of us were injured physically, the feeling that we were attacked stayed for a loong loong time with us..
My friend took at a 'U' turn at the speed of 80.. The drive back home via a big detour was one that I will never forget.. Nor will I forget the face of the guy who hit our car...
Believe me, it was a pretty scary encounter.. I along with a lot of others m still thinking only one thing 'Why' ???