Situation in Hyderabad post-clash under control: police chief

A day after members of two communities clashed over setting up of a shed on a land where a place of worship had been demolished, the situation remained peaceful and under control in Amberpet area here Monday, police said.

Tension had prevailed in the area Sunday night after stone-hurling following an argument over the land where the place of worship had been razed down by the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) for road-widening work Wednesday last.

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.

In a related development, Telangana BJP president K Laxman led a party's delegation and met Director General of Police M Mahendar Reddy Monday evening and submitted a memorandum.

The memorandum sought an inquiry into the incident and action on all, including the police officials, alleging they misused their power and abused the local people and the BJP public representatives.

The city police commissioner Anjani Kumar, along with senior officials, had rushed to the spot and brought the situation under control.

"We've brought the situation under control. Intensive patrolling was carried out Sunday night. Since then, the situation has been peaceful. Adequate forces have been deployed, and we don't expect any more trouble," the police chief told reporters here.

Some people have been taken into preventive custody, including Telangana's lone BJP MLA T Raja Singh Lodh, police said.

However, Telangana BJP leaders alleged the police were partial and lathicharged only members of Hindu organisations, who tried to stop attempts by another group to encroach upon the government land.

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

Two police officials sustained minor injuries during the stone-throwing and cases were registered.

The BJP leaders further said some AIMIM leaders had reached the site and claimed there was a place of worship and started re-erecting a structure and offering prayers.

This was objected to by the locals which, according to the BJP, was the genesis of the tension and the subsequent stone-hurling.

The party leaders further demanded registration of a case against AIMIM leaders and wanted the civic body to demolish the make-shift structure and allow road-widening work.

Also, the party demanded that the police commissioner apologise for his alleged rude and unruly behaviour with MLA Raja Singh.

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.

A man who claimed ownership of the land had given consent for demolition of a house and compensation had been paid to him, 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.

Meanwhile, Raja Singh in a video message posted on a social networking site said he was taken into preventive custody by the police for protesting against the alleged illegal construction of the place of worship.

He claimed there never existed any place of worship at the site, but a house which was brought down for road-widening after the landowner was paid Rs 2.5 crore.

But, now suddenly some locals claim there was a place of worship and efforts were made to construct a new place of worship at that site, Singh said adding he was with the government and police, and that nonew construction activity should be allowed there.