Hyderabad: In what was a fall-out of the arrest of MIM legislator Akbaruddin Owaisi, hundreds of youngsters emerged out of Mecca Masjid after the Friday prayers and indulged in massive stone-pelting. The cops responded with bursting teargas shells and caning the protesters. In the violence that rocked the Charminar area for about half an hour, 15 people were injured including six police personnel and a police vehicle extensively damaged. Although order was restored quickly, the heavy police deployment in all the sensitive areas of Old City remained in place.
Apprehending some trouble, the police was present in full strength outside Mecca Masjid as the faithful gathered for the prayers a little before 12.30 pm. Fifty minutes later, the devout started dispersing and at the forefront emerged a group of about 50 boys, many of them minors, holding a portrait of Akbaruddin Owaisi and shouting slogans in his favour, they made their way towards Charminar. And even as the cops pushed them back, a big crowd that had gathered at the main gate of the masjid started pelting stones at the police.
The stone pelting intensified after some protesters inside the masjid came across stones that were meant for ongoing construction work in the premises. In September last year, the Mecca Masjid authorities began construction of a sump and due to the ongoing work, the excavated debris including hundreds of stones was still lying around near the northeast corner of the masjid close to the second gate. This became god send for the protesters and armed with the huge supply, they began targeting the cops.Within minutes, the cops and others standing outside were subjected to a volley of stones that were hurled both from the entrance of the masjid as well as from inside. The police then swung into action and resorted to a mild lathicharge first which was followed by bursting of teargas shells. In all, 25 rounds of teargas shells were fired. The protesters inside the masjid got enraged when a stun grenade landed near the northeast gate inside the premises and resulted in the stone pelting getting further intensified.
The standoff continued for well over half an hour. Finally, with the protesters unrelenting, the cops announced through the public address system that unless they dispersed, strict action would be taken against them. The stone-pelting slowly got reduced and the protesters finally dispersed from the Moghulpura and Shalibanda side.
Police get 5-day custody of Akbar
Nirmal munsif magistrate K Ajesh Kumar on Friday granted the local police five days custody of MIM MLA Akbaruddin Owaisi. Arrested for delivering hate speeches on January 8, Akbaruddin has been lodged in the Adilabad district jail and is on judicial remand till January 22. The Nirmal police had sought 7-day custody of the MLA but the magistrate granted them 5-day custody beginning Saturday. The cops can question Akbaruddin from 10 am to 5 pm every day till January 17 when he should be produced before the court.According to sources, the cops want to record Akbaruddin’s voice and match it with the videos in which the MLA is seen delivering the speech at a public meeting in Nirmal on December 22, 2012. A police team led by Nirmal rural circle inspector A Raju will question Akbaruddin in the Armed Reserve police headquarters in Adilabad town. P4 10 picked up for rioting
Hyderabad: Of the 15 persons injured, six were police personnel, two from the media, and the remaining were protesters and civilians caught in the crossfire. At least 10 protesters were rounded up while one police Rakshak vehicle was damaged by the rampaging mob and police sources said those who were detained are likely to be arrested. The injured were taken to Osmania General Hospital and Esra Hospital in Moghulpura and discharged after being treated for minor injuries.
Around 2 pm, after normalcy was restored, the police allowed movement of vehicular traffic between Machli Kaman and Mecca Masjid.
Meanwhile, even as the violence began, shop keepers from Charminar to Moghulpura, Gulzar Houz, Pathargatti and Madina downed shutters and reopened only after 3 pm much after normalcy was restored. As a precautionary measure, the controversial Bhagyalakhsmi temple abutting Charminar was completely sealed and rendered invisible with the help of huge barricades. The huge police presence in Old City will remain till Saturday, officials said.
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