Tour Guide Stabbed Near Amer Fort Dies; Amer Market Shuts in Protest

A 40-year-old tour guide who was stabbed near Jaipur's Amer Fort on Monday died at SMS Hospital on Tuesday morning, triggering protests and a shutdown of the local market in Amer.

Manish Kumar Soni, a resident of Amer, had been admitted to the intensive care unit after sustaining a stab wound to the abdomen. Police confirmed he died around 7 am on Tuesday while undergoing treatment.

The incident occurred near Maota Lake at approximately 9.30 am on Monday. According to ACP (Amer) Prateek Singh, a group of tourists in a private car had stopped to ask for directions to Amer Fort. Azam, a local jeep driver, allegedly told the visitors that private vehicles were not permitted up to the fort and advised them to hire a jeep instead.

Soni, who was present at the location, reportedly explained the route to the tourists, who then proceeded in their own vehicle. This led to a heated argument between Soni and Azam over the longstanding rivalry between jeep drivers and tourist guides in the area.

"There has been an ongoing dispute between the jeep drivers and the tourist guides in the Amer area. Manish and Azam got into an argument over this, and the former was stabbed," Singh said. "We have arrested the accused and due process will be followed."

News of Soni's death spread quickly through Amer, prompting shopkeepers to voluntarily shut the local market and residents to gather on the streets. Family members and others staged a sit-in protest, raising slogans demanding justice. Protesters sought compensation of Rs 1 crore and a government job for a family member, with some also calling for the accused's house to be demolished.

Residents had earlier blocked a road for nearly an hour and a half on Monday following the stabbing. After Soni's death, additional police personnel were deployed in the locality as crowds swelled. Officials said the situation was brought under control following discussions with protesters, and further action in the case is underway.