Karimnagar, April 02: Karimnagar continued to remain tense on Friday as an angry mob went on the rampage at Rajiv Chowk even as additional forces were deployed and Section 144 was promulgated in the town.
Trouble brewed during the celebrations after India’s victory in the World Cup semifinal over Pakistan on Wednesday night and led to clashes between two groups.
Many persons, including policemen, suffered head injuries in stoning and shops and vehicles were attacked.
Yesterday the national flag was pulled down from the Clock Tower and a religious flag was hoisted in its place.
Fearing continued violence today also, the business community downed shutters of their shops at Rajiv Chowk, Gandhi Road, Tower Circle and other areas.
This morning, a group of people rushed out of their place of worship after Friday prayers and indulged in heavy stone-throwing.
Though police set up barricades at various points in Rajeev Chowk, the mob pushed them aside and hurled stones.
Ignoring the warnings given by policemen that Sec 144 was in force, they targetted several shops, vehicles, forcing the police to use mild lathicharge to disperse them.
Some vehicles of cops, the glass door of an SBH ATM and a few shops in Naka Chowrasta were among those damaged.
DIG (Karimnagar Range) Sanjay Kumar Jain and SP N Sivasankar Reddy were themselves seen chasing away the group with lathis in their hands. About half-a-dozen persons were taken into custody for damaging public and private property. Using public address systems, the police officers urged the mob not to indulge in violence but their advice fell on deaf ears.
Earlier in the day, elders of the community appealed for peace. Warangal Region IG Anjani Kumar arrived in Karimangar last night and held meetings with his subordinates over the situation.
Special police parties have been directed to hunt for trouble- mongers while forces have been deployed at all sensitive places in the district to ensure that violence does not spread further.
Additional forces were brought in from neighbouring districts including DSPs and inspectors. At Tower Circle, all main roads were barricaded and anyone entering these routes are being questioned, frisked and only then being allowed to pass the way.
With the World cup final match today, police are on a high alert in the district.
—Agencies