MIM, Congress workers clash in old city of Hyderabad

Tension prevailed in Mirchowk area in the old city of Hyderabad following a clash between MIM and Congress workers during elections to the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation on Tuesday.

Police had to baton-charge the two groups to disperse them. Some leaders and activists of the two parties were injured.

Trouble began after the Congress party's Telangana unit president Uttam Kumar Reddy and senior leader Mohammed Ali Shabbir with their supporters came to the Mirchowk police station to demand release of party leader Mohammed Ghouse, who was earlier arrested in Khilwat area.

The Congress leaders alleged that the Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM) resorted to rigging with the support of the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) government and police. They demanded repoll in Puranapul division.

MIM president and Hyderabad Lok Sabha member Asaduddin Owaisi with his party workers also reached the police station raising slogans against the Congress leaders. The two groups had heated arguments.

Some MIM workers attacked Uttam Kumar Reddy's car. Police arrested the MIM activists and used mild force to disperse the two groups.

Ghouse, who recently resigned from the MIM to join the Congress, and MIM leader and Charminar legislator Ahmed Pasha Khadri were arrested in Khilwat when they clashed near a polling station after accusing each other of influencing voters.