At least 3 persons, including 2 policemen, were injured when Bharatiya Janata Party activists hurled stones after their attempt to barge into the Hyderabad Police Commissionerate at Basheerbagh was foiled by the police.
Hundreds of BJP activists, led by state-unit president G Kishan Reddy, gathered at the City Police Commissioner at Basheerbagh on Tuesday, to protest the arrest of members of its affiliated organisations by the City Police.
They raised slogans against the police, who, they alleged, registered false cases against BJP workers at the instance of the Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen.
Some BJP activists also tried to barge into the Commissioner's office, and started hurling stones when police personnel prevented them from proceeding further.
Several agitators were taken into custody, and were shifted to a nearby police station.
Addressing the workers, Kishan Reddy accused the police of booking false cases against BJP workers at the behest of the Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen.
He demanded the immediate and unconditional release of all the activists, and a withdrawal of cases booked against them.
Kishan Reddy condemned the Congress for following the MIM's dictat in the transfer of police officials and in foisting cases on members of organisations affiliated to the BJP.
When the police tried to arrest Kishan Reddy, a heated argument took place between the police and the BJP activists.
Irked over the arrest of Kishan Reddy, the protestors hurled stones at the police.
In the melee, a police sub-inspector M Satyanarayana, and a constable Vallabhaneni, suffered minor injuries.
A reporter of a television channel was also injured in the incident.
Senior BJP leader Bhandaru Dattatreya, city unit president Venkatreddy, and other leaders took part in the dharna.
The traffic on the road was disrupted for over 2 hours. (INN)