Six cars set afire in old Hyderabad

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Unidentified people set afire six cars near the Andhra Pradesh High Court early on Monday, police said. The arson attack took place when the situation in the old city was returning to normal after violent incidents on Friday.

Police said cars parked in the Ghansi Bazar area near the high court premises were set ablaze by some youths who came on motorcycles. Police have retrieved the footage of the arsonists from closed circuit cameras installed in the area and were trying to identify them.

The footage showed a youth pouring petrol on a car and setting it afire before fleeing on a motorcycle with his accomplice. The attack was recorded 3.20 a.m.

Police suspect it to be an attempt to incite violence in the old city, which witnessed a series of attacks and clashes in the past two weeks over a temple abutting the historic Charminar monument. As many as 10 people were injured and many vehicles were set afire during the violence near Charminar Friday.

The communally-sensitive area was simmering over alleged expansion of the temple abutting the Charminar in violation of court orders.

Accusing the Congress government of colluding with communal forces, its ally Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM) last week withdrew support to it.

Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy Monday reviewed the law and order situation with Director General of Police Dinesh Reddy and other top police officials.