Tourist guide stabbed near Jaipur's Amer Fort dies, market shuts in protest

Jaipur: Tourist guide Manish Soni, who sustained critical injuries after being stabbed during a dispute near the Mavtha area of Amer Fort in Jaipur, succumbed to his injuries while undergoing treatment at Sawai Man Singh (SMS) Hospital on Tuesday, triggering widespread protests and a shutdown in parts of Amer town.

According to police, the incident occurred around 10 a.m. on Monday when a disagreement broke out over vehicle movement near the historic Amer Fort. Manish Soni was reportedly attempting to prevent vehicles from proceeding towards the fort when he got into an argument with a jeep driver, identified as Azam. The altercation soon escalated into violence.

Police alleged that Azam, along with his associate Nazish, attacked Soni with a knife during the confrontation. Soni suffered a grievous abdominal injury and collapsed on the spot. He was rushed to SMS Hospital in a critical condition, where doctors tried to save him. However, he died on Tuesday due to excessive blood loss and severe internal injuries, police said.

The death sparked anger among local residents, traders, and members of the tourist guides' association. As a mark of protest, shops in Amer market remained closed, while demonstrators gathered outside the Amer police station, demanding stringent action against the accused and compensation for the victim's family.

Amer SHO Rajendra Godara said both accused have been detained and are being questioned. Police teams are also trying to recover the knife allegedly used in the attack. He added that Azam has two previous criminal cases registered against him at Amer police station.

In view of rising tensions following Soni's death, additional police personnel were deployed in the area, and traffic was diverted from the Jal Mahal route as a precautionary measure. Authorities appealed to citizens to maintain peace while the investigation proceeds.

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