Hyderabad, Nov 16: Violence broke out once again near Charminar in the old city of Hyderabad Friday over a temple row.
At least seven people were injured in stone pelting by an unruly mob, and baton charge by police.
Teargas
shells were also fired by the police to disperse the mob, which set
afire four vehicles and damaged several other vehicles, witnesses said.
Trouble
broke out soon after Friday prayers at the historic Mecca Masjid when a
large number of people coming out of the mosque tried to proceed
towards Charminar to offer 'salam' at a religious symbol abutting the
monument.
Policemen and paramilitary personnel, however, stopped them by setting up barricades.
Raising
slogans against the police and demanding that restrictions be lifted,
the protestors started pelting stones at policemen and attacking
vehicles and shops.
The police resorted to baton charge
and fired several teargas shells to disperse the mob, which was pelting
stones from three sides of the Charminar.
Police said the situation has since been brought under control.
Additional reinforcements were rushed to sensitive areas around Charminar.
Home
Minister Sabita Indra Reddy reviewed the situation with top police
officials. She appealed to people to cooperate in maintaining peace.
The
communally sensitive old city had been witnessing sporadic incidents of
violence for the last two weeks following a row over the Bhagylakshmi
Temple abutting Charminar, which symbolizes the historic city.
Muslim
groups have been opposing attempts to expand the temple on the ground
that it was illegal and had marred the beauty of the 400-year-old
monument.
The Andhra Pradesh High Court Nov 5 had ordered status quo as on Oct 30.
However,
the erection of a canopy over the temple structure, in alleged
violation of the court orders last Sunday, triggered violent protests.
The government claimed that it was allowed only to implement court orders.
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