Ahmedabad: People passing through Shahibaug on Thursday were caught off guard when their eyes suddenly began stinging and watering. Several motorists pulled over, some stopped to wash their faces, and bystanders began recording videos as confusion spread on the stretch.The source of the discomfort, police later said, was a routine tear gas drill at the police headquarters for the 149th Jagannath Rath Yatra. Personnel were being trained in the use of tear gas shells inside the police headquarters at Shahibaug when the fumes drifted towards Riverfront Road and the Shilalekh area because of wind direction.
Some motorists stopped their vehicles by the roadside to wash their eyes
Police officers said several commuters reported a burning sensation in their eyes and excessive tearing while passing through the stretch. Some motorists stopped their vehicles by the roadside to wash their eyes, while others slowed down until the irritation subsided.Videos recorded by bystanders, showing commuters halting on the road and claiming that tear gas shells had been released, were widely shared on social media. The incident led to temporary confusion among road users, though traffic movement was restored shortly afterwards.Ravi Vaghela, a Shahibaug resident, said he was walking towards a tea stall when his eyes began to burn and he felt uneasy. “At first, I thought there had been some gas leak. Later, we came to know it was because of the tear gas drill,” he said.Senior police officers said the exercise was part of the force’s preparedness for handling law and order during the annual rath yatra. They added that the training involved the controlled use of tear gas shells within the police headquarters premises.Police officers said no injuries were reported and the irritation experienced by commuters was temporary.Ahmedabad DCP (headquarters) Banno Joshi denied any negligence. “We do this drill every year before rath yatra. This time, people faced a little problem due to wind direction,” Joshi said.
