Home Cities Hyderabad Clash in Telangana town: 31 arrested; BJP says KCR 'appeasing Owaisi brothers'

Clash in Telangana town: 31 arrested; BJP says KCR ‘appeasing Owaisi brothers’

The saffron party has demanded an NIA probe into the Sunday incident, in which several houses and vehicles were set on fire.

According to authorities, 13 houses were damaged due in the arson. While 24 two-wheelers were fully burnt, one autorickshaw and one car were partially burnt.

As many as 31 people have been arrested by Nirmal district police in Telangana in connection with Sunday night’s violence at Bhainsa town.

Following the stone-pelting and arson at Korba-galli, which damaged houses and parked vehicles, police had detained 61 people and registered six FIRs.

“Till Tuesday morning, 16 people had been arrested. We have arrested another 15 persons today. All of them have been sent to judicial custody. We are examining CCTV footage and verifying their involvement. The situation is under control,” SP C Shashidahr Raju told indianexpress.com.

An uneasy calm prevails in Bhainsa town, where Internet services have been snapped and section 144 imposed till January 15. Additional forces, RAF and Telangana State special police forces have been deployed to prevent any flare-ups.

On being asked if there was any conspiracy behind the violence, a senior police officer on condition of anonymity said all angles were being investigated into.

Also Read | After houses, vehicles set ablaze in Telangana town, blame-game between BJP, AIMIM

“Apparently it was a local spur-of-the-moment quarrel. Later on, maybe, some people took advantage of the situation. As of today, we do not have any inputs on the conspiracy angle,” said the officer.

Internet services, he said, will remain suspended till normalcy is restored.

BJP demands NIA probe

K Krishna Saagar Rao, chief spokesperson, BJP Telangana, has demanded a probe by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) into the incident.

“It has been more than 48 hours and neither the DGP nor the Home Minister has made any statement assuring speedy action against the perpetrators of this communal crime and their plan of action to restore peace in Bhainsa. This is the height of irresponsibility of this government headed by CM KCR,” read the statement.

The BJP has also demanded “immediate release of all the victims who are held illegally in police stations.”

“It is evident that CM KCR has tied the hands of the Telangana police and is interfering in their discharge of duty to bring the culprits to justice. All this is to appease the AIMIM & the Owaisi brothers for petty electoral politics,” the statement read.

According to the statement, the BJP has received complaints from the local population “on how despite attacks on senior police officers, these unruly mobs were neither contained by police using force nor have they reported arresting any miscreants so far. Instead, there are reports that more than 15 victims are being harassed by police and many locked up in police stations since the incident.”

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