Situation in the Old City under control: Police Commissioner

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City Police Commissioner Anurag Sharma on Friday claimed that the situation in the Old City was tense, but under control.

Addressing a press conference at Old Commissioner's Office at Purani Haveli on Friday evening, the Police Commissioner said that additional forces have been deployed in all sensitive areas to maintain peace and law and order. Pickets and patrolling have been organised in all sensitive areas for maintenance of peace.

Explaing the sequence of events that occurred on Friday, Anurag Sharma said that nearly 10,000 people gathered for Friday prayers at Mecca Masjid. At about 1.20 pm, about 2,000 people came out from Mecca Masjid and started proceeding towards the Charminar at Laad Bazar side and raised slogans. A part of the mob moved towards Traffic Police Station while shouting slogans and started pelting stones on the police personnel on duty.

Later, about 100 youth passed the Charminar and proceeded towards Gulzar House, immediate took about about-turn at Machli Kaman and pelted stones on police vehicles. On the other side at Sardar Mahal Road, about 400 to 500 youth gathered and started stone pelting on police parties deployed in front of Bhagyalakshmi Temple. He said police fired tear gas shells and dispersed the unruly mob.

As the situation at Charminar became tense, police dispersed the mob gathered at Laad Bazar corner, near Charminar by using minimum force. As the mob reached Pathergatti Masjid, it set ablaze two four-wheelers and two two-wheelers at Mitti Ka Sher, one two wheeler at Kali Kaman and two two-wheelers on the rear of Cafe Coffee Day, the Commissioner said.

The unruly mob pelted stones at Gulzar Houz, Madina crossroads, Khilwat Road, Laad Bazar, Machli Kaman, Pathergatti, Rein Bazar, Yakutpura Railway Station.

Anurag Sharma said that the mob damaged six police vehicles at Charminar, Gulzar Houz, Mirchow, Khilwat Road and Etebar Chowk. The mob also set ablaze to two four-wheelers at Kalikaman and one at Asra Hospital. In Friday's incidents, five police persons were injured. Police fired tear gas shells to control the situation at these places to disperse the stone pelting mob. He said five people were injured in these incidents and they were sent to the Osmania General Hospital for treatment.

The Commissioner said that about 35 to 40 youth have been taken into custody for investigation. However, he promised that they would be let off, if they found innocent. He also informed that Section 144 has been imposed in the limits of Charminar, Mirchowk, Shalibanda and Rein Bazar police station limits.

The Commissioner has appealed to the people not to give credence to rumours being floated through telephone, SMS or Social Networking Sites. The malicious and inflammatory content of certain sites is also being taken cognizance of and efforts are being made continuously to identify and prosecute the perpetrators.