Divali Celebration Under Tension: Police Confronted During Intervention in Saint-Hilaire

The festive atmosphere of Divali was disturbed by a series of violent incidents in Saint-Hilaire on Sunday afternoon. What began as a simple dispute between two men escalated into acts of vandalism, threats, and unrest in the neighborhood.

The incident started around 3 PM when a resident of Cent-Gaulettes in Saint-Hilaire was at home. A man came to his house asking to buy a dose of drugs. The homeowner replied that he had ceased all activities related to drug trafficking. This response provoked the anger of the man, who then broke the decorative lights set up for the Divali celebration and attacked a vehicle parked in front of the house. He damaged the windshield, front windows, and several interior accessories of the car with stones. The estimated damage is around Rs 100,000.

A few hours later, around 7 PM, the same individual was reportedly seen in the streets of Saint-Hilaire, brandishing a saber approximately 45 cm long and shouting insults in public. According to the police, he even attempted to assault an inspector before fleeing the scene, causing significant unrest in the area.

Around 7:15 PM, an alleged accomplice joined the scene, verbally attacking the police and making aggressive remarks, accusing law enforcement of protecting drug traffickers. "Corrupt cops, you’re protecting drug lords... I will gut you!" he reportedly shouted at the officers.

Despite numerous warnings, he continued to act aggressively. The intervention of law enforcement was complicated by the presence of a hostile crowd, preventing any arrests at that moment. The Cent-Gaulettes police opened an investigation for vandalism, possession of an offensive weapon, and public disorder, while the suspects are actively being sought.