Hyderabad, April 02: After stinging criticism that the real culprits behind the communal clashes were being allowed to go scot-free, the police on Thursday arrested an estimated 75 local residents belonging to both the communities. Most of them were put behind bars on charges of taking part in the rioting.
Over 60 cases related to communal violence that were registered at various police stations in the city were on Thursday transferred to the special investigations team (SIT) following which the arrests took place. Fourteen people, all from Falaknuma and surrounding localities, were arrested for burning a Goshala at Shamshergunj.
Apart from rioting, they were also charged with section 153-A IPC (promoting enmity between the classes), section 295 (destroying a place of worship) and section 429 (mischief by killing an animal of the value of Rs 50 or above). They were produced before the court and remanded in judicial custody.
SIT also arrested 15 people from Moghulpura area for attacking and damaging a police patrol vehicle on March 28. In Afzalgunj, 15 people were arrested from Kholsawadi, Chudi Bazaar, and Gowliguda areas in connection with the attack on two places of worship, assault of an Afzalgunj inspector and damage to police vehicles on March 30. All the accused in this case are either workers or small-time businessmen of Begum Bazaar area.
Musheerabad and Ramgopalpet police arrested 21 people for participating in violence during Hanuman Jayanthi rally on March 30 at Bholakpur, Nallagutta areas where religious structures were damaged and several vehicles torched. The arrests happened after the offenders were identified from a video recording of the rally taken by the cops.
Shahinayatgunj police have also arrested some locals for damaging a police outpost, vehicles and shops at Begum Bazaar Chatri.
Meanwhile, police formed special teams to nab history sheeter-cum-TDP corporator from Mangalhat, Raja Singh, who is one of the suspects in the communal clashes cases. Along with Raja Singh, BJP’s Goshamahal corporator M Vaikuntham also went underground since Tuesday night. So far, all the arrested persons are locals and according to additional commissioner of police (crimes) K Narasimha Reddy, there are no indications of involvement of anti-social elements from other states in the clashes.
But the cops have made no headway in the two murders that took place during the clashes.
-Agencies