Barring one incident of stone-pelting near Mecca Masjid, the 21st anniversary of the demolition of Babri Masjid went off peacefully across the state on Friday.
Barring one incident of stone-pelting near Mecca Masjid, the 21st anniversary of the demolition of Babri Masjid went off peacefully across the state on Friday.
In view of "Black Day", which coincided with the Friday prayers, the city police made elaborate security arrangements, especially near places of worship.
However, the situation near Mecca Masjid turned tense after prayers, when a group of youngsters started pelting stones on the security personnel. 7 persons, including two policemen and one official of the fire services, were injured. The condition of all the injured persons is said to be stable.
Trouble began when a group of youngsters were stopped from going towards Mecca Masjid after their Friday prayers. They began shouting slogans, and rushed towards Moghalpura Fire Station road, and started throwing stones at the police personnel. The pelting continued for about 5 minutes, forcing the Task Force personnel to resort to lathicharge.
Two policemen, who were on picket duty at Khaja ka Chilla in Moghalpura, were injured when the mob threw stones on them. A fire officer of Moghalpura Fire Station, Mohd. Jabbar, received injuries when the mob targeted a fire tender stationed there. The mob also damaged two police vehicles.
The injured included Venkatesh (60), a railway employee, and Bharat Raj, a resident of Kandikalgate.
However, things took a dramatic turn after one of the youth who was throwing stones was caught by GHMC corporator Mohd. Ghouse. He was identified as Vijay Kumar, a member of the Maitri Committee. He was clad in a black shirt, and was wearing a religious symbol of the Muslim community on his neck.
Charminar MLA Ahmed Pasha Quadri later lodged a complaint with the Moghalpura police, alleging that some miscreant had indulged in stone-pelting after mingling with Muslim youth after the Friday prayers.
Meanwhile, the Black Day bandh call, given by various Muslim organisations to mark the 20th anniversary of the demolition of Babri Masjid in Ayodhya, passed off peacefully across the state on Thursday.
However, the Andhra Pradesh bandh call evoked mixed response in the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad, although the bandh was total in the Old City.
Shops and business establishments in almost all areas of the Old City remained closed, and a majority of educational institutions too declared a holiday on Friday.
All the markets around Charminar were closed, and even the lanes and by-lanes in the Old City wore a deserted look till afternoon. Elaborate security arrangements were made in the area, and paramilitary forces were deployed in the sensitive areas.
The roads leading towards Charminar were closed for the general traffic. Barricades and barbed wires were erected at Panch Mohalla, Gulzar Houz, Moti Galli and Sardar Mahal. (INN)