29 September, 2007

From Delhi to Siliguri

WTF news of the day:

A radio jockey’s remarks against Indian Idol Prashant Tamang triggered clashes between his fans and local residents in Siliguri on Friday.

The trouble erupted when a 2000-strong procession of fans was marching to the Sub Divisional Officer’s office to submit a memorandum to protest against the derogatory comments by a FM radio jockey in Delhi against Tamang, said the police.

Tamang’s fans blocked an ambulance which was on its way to the Siliguri Zilla Hospital on Hospital Road. When the local residents protested against this, Tamang’s fans started vandalising shops in the area.

So some RJ saying something in Delhi triggers off something that threatens the life of a hospital-bound patient in Siliguri and leads to the damage of property of many other Siliguri residents, all unrelated to the Delhi RJ. Stunning—and oh so commonplace in India. Ah, mobs.