MIM chief's arrest leads to unrest

Violence erupts in old city area of Hyderabad and parts of Telangana

Violence broke out in the old city and several towns in the Telangana region on Monday following the arrest of  Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul Muslimeen (MIM) chief and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi in a 2005 land deal case.

MIM workers took to streets and shut down shops. They also damaged five city buses and demonstrated at several junctions across the city prompting the government to deploy heavy police force, including para military personnel, to prevent untoward incidents.

Mild caning was reported at two minority-dominated localities in the city. Police have banned congregations and meetings from the last 15 days, following the arrest of Akbaruddin Owiaisi on January 8. City police chief Anurag Sharma said no room will be given for violence.

Asaduddin was sent to 14-day judicial custody after he surrendered himself before a court in Sangareddy town in Medak district, about 60 km from Hyderabad, following the issue of a non-bailable warrant (NBW) that was pending against him till Monday.

The local court on Monday dismissed the petition of the MIM chief, accused No 1 in  the seven-year-old case, who filed a “recall petition” seeking cancellation of the NBW. He was then remanded in judicial custody till February 2, a senior police officer said.
Enraged MIM workers charged the Kiran Reddy government with unleashing political vindictiveness. They alleged conspiracy behind Asaduddin’s arrest.

In 2005, a case was registered by the Medak district administration against Asaduddin Owaisi, his brother Akbaruddin and five other MIM legislators in Patancheru Police station for obstructing official functioning of the then Medak Collector A K Singhal.

Owaisi brothers were booked under IPC Sections 153-A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion), 147 (rioting), 186 (obstructing public servant while discharging duties) and seven other IPC sections.

The IAS official was physically assaulted and prevented from directing the demolition of a compound wall of a place of worship coming in the way of Hyderabad-Mumbai National Highway near Muttangi. The wall demolished by the authorities was rebuilt at the insistence of the MIM leaders.

Akbaruddin Owaisi, who is under judicial custody in connection a hate speech, was produced before the same court on January 17 in the same case.