Communal violence in Hyderabad Old City: As many as 12 persons were injured, one of them seriously and about two dozen vehicles including a dozen RTC buses damaged following groups clashes between Hindu and Muslims in parts of Old city on Sunday.

The situation continues to be tense in the Old city forcing the police to clamp prohibitory orders. While curfew has been imposed in Saidabad and Madannapet police sttaion limits, prohibitory ordres under section 144 have been imposed across the city.

Rumours are flying high with miscreants disseminating false information saying communal riots have started in so and so area and residents of Old city were reeling under fear, sources said.

Trouble began on Sunday morning after some miscreants dumped the legs of an animal, suspected to be of cow, in the premises of Hanuman temple at Kurmaguda. Even as police convinced the residents of Kurmaguda that immediate action would be initiated into the matter, the news spread to other parts of the city and angry crowds started to gather near the temple, sources said.

According to the police, a section of the crowd started pelting stones at RTC buses and shouted slogans leading to retaliation from the other community people. Incidents of communal nature such as stone pelting, attack on properties were reported from Pusala Basti and Sapotabagh areas of Saidabad police station limits.

Sources said the community that retaliated to the sloganeering by the other community, took control of the situation and attacked innocent passersby after identifying their community. As many as 12 persons were injured in the attacks, while one of them, identified as Murali, 17, of Madannapet area suffered grievous stab wounds. His condition is stated to be critical.

Addtional forces were rushed to the disturbed areas and police resorted to lathi-charge and tear gas shelling to bring the situation under control. However, miscreants continued stone pelting from the by-lanes of the localities and vanished by the time police reached the area. This forced the police to impose curfew in Madannapet and Saidabad police station limits from 2 pm.

Police, however, said students going for SSC exam would be permitted to go to their exam centres along with one attendant by showing hall tickets. The police constable recruitment scheduled for April 9 and 10 at Goshamahal, Amberpet and Petlaburj has been postponed and further dates would be informed later.     

Police said as many as 17 criminal cases (Saidabad PS 6, Madannapet PS 5, Kanchanbagh PS 1, Hussainialam PS 2, Moghapura PS 3) were registered in connection with the communal incidents and special investigation teams formed to investigate the cases. As many as 57 persons were taken into preventive custody.


Director General of Police V Dinesh Reddy visited the disturbed areas along with other senior officials, while the Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy and Home Minister P Sabita Indra Reddy reviewed the situation in separate meetings with the officials.