Nagpur. Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone 5) Niketan Kadam has revealed crucial first-hand details of the violent unrest that erupted in Mahal a year ago, recounting how a routine call spiralled into a life-threatening mob attack in which he sustained serious injuries.

Speaking about the incident, Kadam said he was attending routine duties when a wireless message directed senior officers to assemble near the Mahal area late at night. He first reached Ganeshpeth police station, where nearly 100 individuals had gathered, demanding the registration of an FIR following an earlier altercation. Although the offence had already been registered, miscommunication appeared to have escalated tensions on the ground.

As the situation worsened, large groups—primarily teenagers and young men—assembled near Bhaldarpura and Chitnis Park. The situation quickly turned violent with stone pelting, prompting police teams, under the guidance of Commissioner Dr Ravinder Kumar Singal, to launch a coordinated operation to disperse the mob.

Kadam revealed that during the operation, several rioters fled into a three-storey house located in a narrow lane. When some police personnel did not return, he personally entered the premises along with his team to trace them. Inside, officers encountered chaos, even as occupants denied sheltering the miscreants despite visible signs of tear gas exposure.

However, the situation took a dangerous turn when Kadam and his team stepped out of the building. A large mob lay in wait outside, armed with lathis, stones, and petrol bombs. With poor visibility due to adverse lighting and the police heavily outnumbered, the situation became critical.

Demonstrating leadership from the front, Kadam moved ahead to create a safe passage for his team. During the confrontation, he noticed an object being swung towards him and instinctively tried to intercept it. It turned out to be an axe, which struck his hand, leaving him severely injured and bleeding profusely.

For a brief moment, the gravity of the injury went unnoticed amid the chaos. However, as blood spread, panic gripped the mob, which began to disperse upon realising that a senior officer had been grievously hurt. Kadam was immediately rushed to hospital, where he underwent surgery.

Reflecting on the incident, Kadam emphasised the importance of leading from the front during critical situations. Following his recovery, he also intensified surveillance on provocative social media content through initiatives such as ‘Garud Drishti’, aimed at curbing the mobilisation of youth and preventing the spread of inflammatory material online.