Road widening ruckus leaves 20 injured
Lathi-tude: Police beat up protestors during the dawn-to-dusk operation
At least 20 persons including police personnel sustained injuries as widening of the MB Road turned violent in the City on Saturday.
The widening of the congested MB Road was in the pipeline for the past two years and the district administration took up the task on Saturday.
Armed with a possee of about 200 policemen, the administration began the demolition at 6.30 am. The building situated next to Srinivasa Nursing Home near the New Bus Stand was the first one to fall. There was not much crowd on the road and the task was accomplied easily in the morning hours. The owner of the building was found to have already constructed a wall within the area marked for demolition. All the temporary structures beyond the marked area were razed to ground.
When the demolition squad proceeded to bring down a wall of the next building (nursing home), the owner sought time, and the request was rejected. Police also refused to grant time for the owner of the nearby hardware shop to shift his goods. No mercy was shown on anyone during the entire course of operation. The owners/occupants of the buildings were seen hurriedly shifting their wares.
As the squad reached Nallagangamma temple near Ammawaripet Circle around 11.30 pm, the activists of pro-Hindu outfits appealed the officials to demolish the walls leaving aside the supporting pillars. It was their concern that demolition of pillars might weaken the nearby buildings.
Assistant Commissioner R S Peddappaiah, Additional Superintendent of Police H R Bhagwan Das and Executive Engineer of Public Works Department, T Venkatachalaiah, after a meeting at the spot, decided to accede to the request.
Tensions ran high as a group of youths vehemently opposed the demolition of ‘sajja’ of Berlin Mosque Complex. Hundreds of youth assembled inside the complex and began an argument with the police. They alleged that attempts were being made to demolish the structures beyond the marked area.
Retaliation
When the officials clarified that only the ‘sajja’ would be removed, the group took upon the task for itself. However, the demolition squad went ahead with earthmoving machines when a few threw stones on the police.
Soon stones were hurled from all sides and the police resorted to lathi charge to disburse the crowd. They charged into the complex, flushed out all who had assembled there and caned them. Tear gas lobbing vehicle too was summoned to the spot as a precautionary measure. At least 20 people including policemen and media personnel sustained injuries in the melee. The sajja was demolished later.
The demolition operation continued further and the compound of the police quarters, small temples besides the quarters, walls of shops, a compound of a Church attached to Mecce Circle were all razed to ground.
Sensing the mood by the stringent action, shopkeepers vacated the premises.
The district administration had made adequate security arrangements for the demolition operation. More than 200 police personnel were deployed. Platoons of district armed reserve were also stationed at the spot. The operation came to end at 5 pm.
