Where there was fire, ashes remain: The aftermath of the Mathura violence

The violence at Jawahar Bagh in Mathura, which left around 30 people dead, had catastrophic effects on the colony. Three days after the violence erupted, Mathura still remains shrouded in clouds of smoke and ashes. Since it was opened to the media on Sunday, there has been no respite from reporters and photographers. It has become a monopoly of politicians who are eager to exploit the situation for political gains. [caption id=“attachment_2818690” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Aftermath of the Mathura violence. Twitter @CNNnews18[/caption] Apart from this, Jawahar Bagh now looks like the Greek city of Ilium, which was burnt to the ground after the Trojan war. The vista of once beautiful trees is marred with ashes and burnt remains of cars. The site still stinks of a heavy burnt smell, according to Economic Times. Smoke was coming out from vehicles, tents and household items. Remains of utensils, newspapers and books lie scattered around the area. Barricades made from cement bags, used by Ram Vriksh Yadav led group, still stand strong though. Boards and standies of Azad Bharat Vidhik Vaicharik Kranti Satyagrahi lie broken and dented. A large section of Jawahar Bagh still remains covered with broken bricks, black burnt remains and clinkers. Small fires burn in several places around the site of Mathura violence. Shoes and slippers bear testimony to the stampede that might have followed the violence, according to Hindustan Times. Literature related to Yadav’s hero Subhash Chandra Bose is strewn all over the place. Not a single hutment was spared. This is the aftermath of the armed clash that erupted between the police and the encroachers of Jawahar Bagh on 5 June. People were killed and property was destroyed. With the Uttar pradesh elections scheduled for 2017, the embers of the clash are being used by political parties. The aftermath also involves a mental breakdown and a condition of shell shock for the residents of Mathura. They are still helping the police in clearing out the bodies and cleaning the area. It remains to be seen when they will be able to resume their normal lives.