Derogatory remarks on Prophet: Old City tense

Hyderabad: Curfew-like situation prevailed in the Old City areas of Hyderabad from Wednesday evening as the police asked all shops, petrol bunks and other establishments to pull down their shutters. The police also banned holding of meetings and taking out rallies in the area.

These measures became necessary as tense situation prevailed in the Old City on Tuesday night when several people came out on to streets and held protests at various places against the alleged remarks made by Goshamahal MLA Raja Singh which amounts to blasphemy against Prophet Muhammad.

Sensing trouble, Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao held a review meeting. Later Rapid Action Force, law and order police, Armed Reserve Police and water cannons were deployed in all the sensitive areas. All shops and petrol bunks were asked to close their establishments by 8 pm, especially in the South Zone limits.

Security was beefed up in Shalibanda, Charminar, Lal Darwaza, Moghalpura, and other sensitive parts of the city. Some kind of panic was seen in these areas as police suddenly beefed up security and asked all shops to close.

People suspected that curfew may be imposed.

On Wednesday, around 30 persons, including the AIMIM corporator Syed Sohail Quadri who was protesting were taken into custody.

Appealing to the protesters South Zone DCP P Sai Chaitanya said, "This is a conspiracy to destroy the peace in Hyderabad, I urge protesters not to get involved in it and not to take law into their hands. All legal procedures are being taken against the derogatory remarks," he said.

Meanwhile, at Ambedkar Statue near Tank Bund, a large group of women holding black flags protested against Raja Singh. During late night protests on Tuesday minor incidents of violence were reported soon after Raja Singh was granted bail. Groups of Muslim youth continued with protest rallies. The night protests continued till 5 am. Some even tried to go to his house but were prevented by the police. At Shalibanda, the protesters demanded the arrest of the MLA. Effigies were burnt at various places. To control the situation, police had to resort to mild lathi-charge to disperse the crowds. A few agitated protestors allegedly pelted stones and the car of a Moghalpura detective inspector was damaged. According to the police, four persons, including a police sub-inspector were injured in skirmishes and protests.

Various rallies were also held in Moghalpura, Khilwat, Kalapathar and other areas. Senior police officials from the South Zone police tried assuring youngsters that action would be taken against Raja Singh.

Meanwhile, community leaders, including Maulana Murtuza Pasha made an appeal to the youngsters of the Old City not to fall into the trap by certain forces. They asked them to maintain peace and appealed not to take law in their hands.