Skirmishes in Old City, cops resort to lathicharge

Hyderabad: The simmering tension in Old City of Hyderabad boiled over on Wednesday night when mobs belonging to two communities took to stone pelting resulting in injuries to 5 persons. Police had to resort to lathicharge and teargassing to restore order. The injured were rushed to Osmania General Hospital. In all, at least 7 persons were detained. 
    According to police sources, the trouble began near Mohammed Shakur mosque under Moghulpura police station limits around 10 pm when a chilla (Green flag) was burnt. The police were still trying to establish whether the flag burning incident was an act of arson or an accident caused by crackers a day after Diwali.
    The entire south zone police have been deployed to tackle the situation. The tension was further compounded due to an accident in which two youths on a motor cycle were hit by a traffic police towing vehicle near Farasa Café close to Charminar under Hussaini Alam police station limits. This incident took place around 9.30 pm and one of the youths died on the spot. The driver of the traffic police towing vehicle was taken into
custody.
    The entire Old City has been tense for the last fortnight and curfew-like situation prevailed near Charminar over developments in the Bhagyalakshmi temple near Charminar with the MIM alleging that efforts are being made by the temple management to convert a temporary canopy structure permanent. The temple management, on the other hand, denied any such moves. The state government stepped in and based on the status quo order of AP High Court, the temporary structures were restored last Sunday by the district administration under the supervision of an ASI team.
    The situation further worsened with the MIM withdrawing its support to the UPA government at the Centre and the Kiran Kumar Reddy government in the state on the charge that the state government was colluding with right-wing elements. Ironically, the curfew-like situation in the vicinity of Charminar was lifted only on Wednesday evening. But with trouble breaking out in Moghulpura polce station limits late in the night, Old City continues to be tense and security personnel deployed all over to ensure that the situation does not worsen. 
Kiran blamed for MIM ‘fiasco’
    The state Congress on Wednesday publicly offered an olive branch as well as issued a veiled warning to the MIM over the severance of ties with the UPA government at the Centre and the Kiran Kumar Reddy government in the state. But in private, several leaders keen on dislodging the chief minister blamed him for mishandling the situation. Two days after MIM president Asaduddin Owaisi announced the parting of ways, the Congress on the one hand urged the MIM to reconsider its decision and on the other, said the minority party's absence will in no way weaken the ruling party. P5