Street quarrels are quite common in India. They are a thing of daily occurrence. A few days back, I was passing through the Hall Bazar. I saw a big crowd of people. I asked a gentleman what was wrong. I was told that some boys were playing with marble balls in the street. A boy lost the game. He accused the other of foul play.
He began to call him names. The other was older and stronger. He could not take the insult lying down. He caught him by the neck and floored him down. The smaller of the two began to cry at the top of his voice. I stood and watched for some time.
His two elder brothers came out. They began to beat the boy who had knocked down their younger brother. Soon the relatives of both the boys came up. They began to quarrel. At first hot words were exchanged. From hot words, they came to blows. Lathis were also used. The fathers of both the boys received serious injuries.
The head of one was bleeding and the right arm of the other was broken. People tried to separate and pacify them but all to no purpose. Two policemen happened to arrive on the scene. They dispersed the crowd and put under arrest some members of both the parties. They were handcuffed and taken to the police station.
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I learnt later that both the parties gave their statements. The police investigated the matter. Some members of both the parties were challaned. Both the parties engaged pleaders. The case lingered on for several months. Both the parties suffered heavily. The quarrel cost them dearly.