Hyderabad, December 07: The bandh call given by various Muslim organisations to mark the 19th anniversary of demolition of Babri Masjid on Tuesday passed off peacefully in the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad.
Since the day coincided with Yaum-e-Ashura, the 10th of Moharram to mark the martyrdom of Hazrath Imam-e-Hussain, a majority of shops and commercial establishments in the city remained closed. Some organisations held protest at Indira Park demanding re-construction of Babri Masjid at the original site. Religious congregations were also held at several mosques in the city. However, such congregations were also linked to the martyrdom of Hazrath Imam-e-Hussain, Prophet Mohammad’s (PBUH) grandson.
Meanwhile, the annual Moharram procession went off peacefully in the Old City on Tuesday. Thousands of people have gathered on the procession routes starting from Bibi-ka-Alawa up to Chaderghat. The procession, taken out on Elephant Rajini, which started at Bibi-ka-Alawa and passed through Eitebar Chowk, Kotla Alijah, Charminar, Gulzar Houz, Panjeshah, Mir Alam, Darulshifa and culminated at Chaderghat. Several politician and senior officials including GHMC Mayor Banda Karthika Reddy, Deputy Mayor Jaffer Husain Meraj, City Police Commissioner AK Khan and others paid homage to the martyrs of Karbala by tying ‘dhatti’.
Hundreds of members of Shia community participated in the Moharamm procession and also took part in ‘maatam’, the beating of chest with both bare-hand and using sharp-edged blades.
The City Police had made elaborate security arrangements in view of both bandh and the Moharram procession.
——Agencies