Riots in Hyderabad, three killed in police firing

Three persons were killed in police firing after communal clashes in the Sikh Chawny area of
Kishanbagh under the Cyberabad Police Commissionerate here early on Wednesday. Ten people were injured as well.

Several vehicles were damaged and burnt by mobs that pelted stones and attacked each other with weapons in Chawny area, a predominantly lower middle class locality, adjacent to Bahadurpura of the walled city.

An indefinite curfew has been imposed under the Rajendranagar Police Station limits and a strict vigil is on at the Old City–another communal flashpoint. According to the Rajendranagar police, trouble started early in the morning when some people found a half-burnt religious flag atop a religious place. Rumours spread quickly and people came out in large numbers, triggering clashes. The police, who initially lobbed tear-gas shells, soon began firing.

The police have confirmed that all the three who lost their lives to firing belong to a particular community. Their names, however, were withheld and the bodies were sent to Osmania Hospital mortuary. Following the post-mortem, the bodies were handed over to relatives for cremation, a senior police officer said. Police bandobast will be provided for their last rites, he added.

Commissioner of Police Anurag Sharma said the situation was fully under control. “We have initiated all steps to see that the situation won’t spill over to other places. At least two deaths have been confirmed and 10 people were injured in the clashes,” he said. Cyberabad police chief C V Anand also visited the area and urged people not to believe in rumours.

Governor E S L Narasimhan reviewed the situation with DGP Prasada Rao. The RAF and other paramilitary forces  were deployed in old city.