Situation peaceful in Hyderabad locality after clash between two communities: Police

Hyderabad: The situation was peaceful and under control in the Amberpet area here Monday after members of two communities clashed over the setting up of a shed on a land where a place of worship was demolished, police said. 

Tension prevailed in the Amberpet area Sunday night after members of the two communities pelted stones at each other following arguments over the "disputed" land where the place of worship was demolished by the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) for road widening Wednesday last.

At least eight people, including two police officials, sustained minor injuries in stone pelting.

Hyderabad Police Commissioner Anjani Kumaralong along with senior police officials had rushed to the spot and brought the situation under control after dispersing the crowd which had "indulged" in raising of slogans and stone-throwing.

Pickets were set up in the entire area with deployment of additional forces and police took up patrolling. The injured were shifted to hospitals.

A senior police official Monday said the situation is peaceful and under control.

"Three cases have been registered in connection with the incident," the official told PTI.

Some persons were taken into custody, including Telangana's lone BJP MLA T Raja Singh Lodh, police said.

However, Telangana BJP leaders alleged that police behaved in a partial manner and lathicharged only members of Hindu organisations, who tried to stop attempts by the another group to encroach on the government land by defying law.

Singh, who represents Goshamahal constituency in the city, had reached the spot to enquire about the situation, but he was taken into custody by the police, which was condemnable, they said.

The BJP leaders said a delegation led by Telangana BJP president K Laxman will meet Director General of Police M Mahendar Reddy Monday evening and submit a memorandum in this regard.

Members of different groups and political parties had also staged dharnas and protests at the site of demolition over the past two days demanding reconstruction of the place of worship.

Telangana Home Minister Mohammad Mahmood Ali had on Saturday said the government had launched a probe into the demolition of the religious place, though it was not in use for several years and was abandoned and prayers were not performed there.

A man who claimed ownership of the land had given consent for demolition and compensation had already been paid to him after which the GHMC had taken up demolition, officials had earlier said.

Ali had also said he would hold consultations with religious scholars and locals in this regard and if they insisted on construction at the same place, the government would comply.