Tension in Hyderabad Old City over Bhagyalakshmi temple pandal, MIM MLAs arrested

November 12, 2012

Hyderabad, November 12: Sporadic incidents of violence rocked the Old City after Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM) legislators were arrested by police when they were trying to march towards Bhagyalakshmi temple at Charminar on Sunday. At some places, police had to fire tear gas shells and resort to mild lathicharge to disperse protestors.

The MLAs gathered in the Old City after the Bhagyalakshmi temple management restored tarpaulin on the make-shift pandal with the assistance of the Hyderabad district administration as per the high court's order.

At 5am, police barricaded all streets leading to Charminar from Gulzar Houz, Shah Ali Banda, Kotla Alijah Hussaini Alam, Moghulpura and Mirchowk.

Under the supervision of officials from the Hyderabad collectorate, GHMC and Archeological Survey of India (ASI), the temple management began restoring the tarpaulin at 7am and completed it in an hour. Police provided security cover for the entire operation.

On learning about the tarpaulin restoration work, seven MIM legislators, including their floor leader in the Assembly, Akbaruddin Owaisi, gathered at Volta cafe in Moghalpura at 8am. As they were planning to move towards Bhagyalakshmi temple, police, who were already waiting there, picked up the legislators along with six corporators.

However, while they were being shifted into police vehicles, the legislators managed to give the slip to the cops. Another team of police personnel posted at Kotla Alijah intercepted five MLAs — Akbaruddin Owaisi, Ahmed Balala, Ahmed Pasha Quadri, Moazzam Khan, Mumtaz Khan — along with the corporators, were taken into custody again.

Two other legislators, MLA Mohammed Muqtada Khan alias Afsar Khan and MLC Altaf Hyderabad Rizvi, who managed to escape even from there, were arrested near Gulzar Houz. All the arrested legislators and corporators were shifted to the Bolarum police station.

Later in the day, Nampally MLA Virasat Rasool Khan and four corporators reached Ravindra Bharathi, where chief minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy was attending an event organized on the occasion of Minorities' Welfare Day, and staged a protest against the arrest of his party leaders. Police immediately picked up the MLA and his associates and shifted them to the Gandhi Nagar police station.

As the news of arrest of MIM leaders started flashing on news channels, sporadic incidents of stone pelting were reported at Chandrayangutta X Roads, Anmol Hotel, Edi Bazar, Kalabhairavi temple, Hussainialam and Musabowli X Roads.

Four RTC buses, two cars, an ATM and a garments showroom were damaged in the violence. A mob targeted RTC buses on the Chandrayangutta main road and broke windshields of three buses.

Police had to resort to mild lathicharge to disperse the mob at Chandrayangutta and several people, including MIM corporator Samad, suffered minor injuries.

Protestors carrying black flags staged dharnas at Gulzar Houz, Nalgonda X Roads, Chanderghat, Chanchalguda, Tolichowki, Humayun Nagar and Punjagutta. Effigies of the state government were burnt at Machili Kaman and Charminar. Later in the evening, police fired tear gas shells and lathi-charged the stone-hurling mob at Talabkatta in Bhavani Nagar.

Hyderabad police commissioner Anurag Sharma supervised the situation from his office at Purani Haveli since morning. Later in the night, the commissioner issued a press release clarifying that they had only provided bandobust for implementation of the high court orders.

"In relation to the high court's orders, the collector and the GHMC commissioner had consulted Archeological Survey of India (ASI) officials to determine the status (of temple pandal cover) as on October 30. ASI gave its opinion in writing that on October 30, there was a cover on the temporary structure at the temple. Based on these facts, the civic authorities permitted the Bhagyalakshmi temple committee to cover the temple structure with tarpaulin sheets, as an interim measure. Since, it was a sensitive issue, police force was deployed in the area to maintain peace and law & order," Anurag Sharma said in the release.

Police booked 18 cases in relation to Sunday's violence and arrested 109 persons. By 6.45pm, all the arrested legislators were released.

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Sporadic incidents of violence mar final phase of voting in Bengal; EVM tossed into pond

News Network

June 1,2024

Kolkata: Sporadic incidents of violence marred the seventh and final phase of Lok Sabha polls in the nine parliamentary constituencies in West Bengal, as TMC, ISF and BJP workers clashed in various parts of violence-prone Jadavpur and Diamond Harbour constituencies.

Although the poll panel has claimed that voting has been peaceful so far, it said it has received 1,450 complaints until 11 am from different political parties alleging EVM malfunctions and agents being stopped from entering booths.

Around 28.10 per cent of over 1.63 crore voters exercised their franchise in the first two hours of polling to the nine Lok Sabha seats, an Election Commission official said.

Clashes broke out between supporters of the TMC, ISF and the BJP in different pockets of the state as the parties clashed over stopping polling agents from entering booths.

A confrontation erupted in Bhangar within Jadavpur constituency between backers of Trinamool Congress and the Indian Secular Front (ISF), with allegations of crude bombs being hurled from both sides. Police intervention ensued, triggering protests as both factions accused each other.

To quell the situation, security personnel resorted to a lathicharge to disperse the mob, recovering several crude bombs.

Angry voters of Kultuli within Joynagar constituency dumped electronic voting machines (EVMs) and Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail (VV-PAT) machines into nearby waterbodies alleging electoral misconduct.

"Today morning at 6.40 am Reserve EVMs & papers of Sector Officer near Benimadhavpur FP school, at 129-Kultali AC of 19-Jaynagar (SC) PC has been looted by local mob and 1 CU, 1 BU , 2VVPAT machines have been thrown inside a pond," the office of CEO West Bengal posted on X.

"Sector Police was a little behind. FIR has been lodged by the Sector Officer and necessary action has been initiated. The poll process in all six booths under the Sector is running uninterrupted. Fresh EVM and papers have been provided to the Sector Officer," it further said.

Senior BJP leader and Bengal co-incharge Amit Malviya posted on X, "Democracy is up in flames in West Bengal. Bombs have been hurled in Jadavpur's Bhangar, and irate villagers in Joynagar's Kultali have thrown an EVM and VVPAT machine in a pond because TMC goons won't let them vote."

"But the worse affected is Diamond Harbour, where Mamata Banerjee's nephew and heir apparent is contesting from. BJP workers are being intimidated, not allowed to sit in the booths, their polling documents destroyed. WB Police is acting like Abhishek Banerjee's henchmen. Even the Muslims have not been spared because a large number of them are voting for CPI(M) candidate Pratikur Rahman. TMC's 'secularism' dies the moment Muslims start voting against it," he posted on X.

Following this, Kolkata Police claimed that the incident happened in the morning before the poll process began.

"This incident happened in the morning around 6 am much before the polling process in Bengal. Police and CAPF immediately intervened and have taken steps against miscreants. Legal action initiated. Polling in Bhangar started without any interruption and is going on peacefully," Kolkata Police posted on X.

TMC supporters have accused the ISF of orchestrating the violence to intimidate voters. Prompt action from local law enforcement led to lathicharges and the arrest of suspects in Polerhat area of Bhangar.

Another incident occurred where the vehicle of an ISF worker was vandalised in Baghajatin area. Accusations have been levelled against Trinamool Congress supporters for the alleged incident.

Diamond Harbour, where TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee is seeking re-election, witnessed clashes between TMC and BJP supporters. BJP candidate Abhijit Das accused the ruling party of malpractices, which the TMC denied. As Das approached a polling booth, TMC activists staged protests and shouted "Go back" slogans. In response, Das got out of his car and shouted counter slogans.

Similarly, CPI(M) candidate Patikur Rehman faced "go back" slogans from TMC workers when he attempted to visit a booth in the Canning area.

In Diamond Harbour's Satganchia, BJP workers were allegedly beaten up by TMC over allegations of intimidation of voters. In Kultuli area, two BJP activists were injured during clashes with TMC workers.

In Jadavpur area's Ganguly Bagan, CPI(M) workers were allegedly beaten by the TMC activists and their camp offices were ransacked. The TMC, however, denied the allegations and accused the Left party of intimidating the voters.

In Baranagar assembly seat, where a by-poll is on, CPI (M) candidate Tanmay Bhattacharya was allegedly physically assaulted when he was standing outside a booth as TMC workers accused him of trying to influence the voters.

The state Congress unit wrote to CEO Aariz Aftab requesting him to take stern action against alleged irregularities and rigging that are taking place in various pockets.

Basirhat SP Hossain Mehedi Rahaman said three persons were injured during the clash between TMC and BJP supporters at Bayramari in Sandeshkhali, adding that one person was arrested in this connection.

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