MP: Mhow victims recall horror of violence during Champions Trophy victory celebration

New Delhi, March 11 (IANS) In the aftermath of the recent violent incident in Mhow, Madhya Pradesh, victims have come forward to recount the terrifying experiences they endured during the chaos that erupted after India’s victory over New Zealand in the ICC Champions Trophy final on Sunday.

What started as a jubilant celebration soon turned into a violent clash, leaving several injured.

Ranjeet, one of the victims, recalled, "We were chanting slogans, enjoying ourselves and just having a good time. Suddenly, some people started throwing stones at us. We ran for our lives, and both I and the children were hit. Nine of us got injured in the process."

Ritesh, another injured individual, shared a similar experience, describing how the peaceful celebration turned dangerous.

"We were just celebrating and suddenly petrol bombs were thrown at us. My house is nearby, and I was celebrating at home. Where else should I have celebrated? I got attacked with stones and petrol bombs. I was confused about what to do. If I had run, I might have died. The injury I sustained that day was only because of the attack," he said.

"The administration saved us, even though they too were attacked. They tried to prevent us from celebrating, asking for permission from the Maulana, but what kind of prayer were we interrupting at midnight? Celebrating the victory of our country in India should not require permission. This was all a conspiracy against us Hindus; they just wanted to attack us," he added.

Sumit, who was critically injured by a petrol bomb, said, "We were having a good time celebrating, and out of nowhere, petrol bombs were thrown at us. I was celebrating at home, which is nearby. The moment I stepped outside, I was caught in the chaos. We got bombarded with stones and petrol bombs. I was so confused, I didn’t know whether to run or stay."

Ashish, another victim, recounted, "We were busy celebrating, completely unaware that we would be attacked. They started by throwing petrol bombs and then stones. One of the stones hit me in the mouth."

The violence unfolded shortly after the Indian cricket team won the Champions Trophy final in a thrilling finish against New Zealand. The celebrations took a dark turn around 10:30 p.m. in the Jama Masjid area of Mhow, near Indore, when a victory procession sparked a dispute over the use of firecrackers.

This quickly escalated into a confrontation, with stone-pelting spreading across multiple areas, including Manak Chowk, Patti Bazaar, and Market Chowk.

The situation spiralled out of control when two opposing groups clashed, leading to widespread chaos. Local authorities are investigating the incident, which has raised concerns over communal tensions during festive events.