Hyderabad Curfew Extended

The toll in the communal violence that rocked old city areas for two days rose to seven with one more person succumbing to stab injuries yesterday, police said.

Though no fresh incidents of violence were reported, tension continued in communally-sensitive areas in the old city, even as curfew was extended by one more day in 13 police station limits and paramilitary forces kept a strict vigil. The curfew, ending at 2 pm yesterday, was extended up to 2 pm today in 13 police station limits covering three of the four divisions in old city, official sources said.

Trouble had started after the noon prayers on Friday following the discovery of an objectionable pamphlet which hurt the religious sentiments of a community.

 

Meanwhile, minister of state for urban development Bandaru Dattatreya, deputed by Union home minister L K Advani to report on the situation, blamed "police failure" for the escalation in violence. He said Friday's incidents were well planned while what happened on Saturday was "spontaneous and in retaliation". He felt if the curfew was imposed on Friday itself, the retaliation would not have occurred.

The BJP minister who said he would convey his assessment to Advani this morning, felt that Hyderabad has become a base for ISI operations. He could not say if the last two days' incidents could be traced to the ISI, but said a judicial inquiry could identify the forces behind it.

He demanded a judicial inquiry into the violence. Dattatreya, who represents Secunderabad in the Lok Sabha, ruled out the need for sending a central team to assess the situation and said the state government should take note of the strengthening base of Pakistan's ISI in the old city. PCC chief, Y S Rajasekhara Reddy has demanded a central team to study the law and order situation in the state.