By IANS,
Hyderabad : Barring minor incidents, the situation in riot-hit parts of Hyderabad remained peaceful Wednesday as curfew continued in 25 police station areas.
Stray incidents of violence were reported from some curfew-bound areas adjoining the worst-hit old city but police and paramilitary forces acted swiftly to bring the situation under control.
Security personnel rushed to curfew-bound Ziaguda, Habibnagar and Mallepally areas after incidents of stone pelting were reported from there.
“The situation in the city is under control,” Home Minister P. Sabita Indra Reddy told reporters after Chief Minister K. Rosaiah reviewed the situation at a high-level meeting.
She assured people that there was no need for panic as adequate forces were available to quell any attempt by miscreants to disrupt peace.
Reddy said any decision on relaxing the curfew would be taken after another review of the situation later in the day.
There were reports of people in curfew-bound areas facing shortage of essential commodities. Women in some areas came out to request the police to relax curfew.
“The officials have been directed to make essential commodities like water, milk and vegetables available in the curfew-bound areas,” Reddy said.
There was an eerie silence in centuries-old markets around historic Charminar, which teem with thousands of shoppers and tourists on any normal day. Only the sirens of police vehicles sporadically broke the uneasy calm in the area, famous for pearls, jewellery, bangles, bridal wear, garments and eateries.
Charminar, Mecca Masjid, Chowmahalla Palace and other monuments in the old city wore a deserted look. Salar Jung Museum, which houses the world’s largest collection of artefacts by one man, was also shut.
On the other side of Musi River, Begumbazar, a major commercial hub famous for wholesale grain markets and consumer goods, was also deserted.
Sporadic incidents of violence continued till late Tuesday even after police brought eight more police station areas under curfew following clashes in new city localities.
The indefinite curfew, imposed in 17 police station limits of the old city Monday night, continued without any relaxation while police top brass have issued shoot-at-sight orders to policemen.
Police and paramilitary forces are keeping a tight vigil in all curfew-bound areas and strictly enforcing the restrictions to avert any untoward incident.
Police Commissioner A.K. Khan said any decision on relaxing the curfew would be taken after a review of the situation.
One person was stabbed to death and dozens, including three police officers, were injured in clashes and stone pelting since Tuesday evening. Police fired rubber bullets and used teargas shells to disperse clashing groups in Begumbazar, a commercial hub adjoining the old city.
Deputy Commissioner of Police, traffic, Ravi Verma was injured Tuesday night in the stone pelting by miscreants at Seetarambagh in Asifnagar.
Earlier, large scale violence broke out during Hanuman Jayanti processions in Musheerabad, Bholakpur, Mangal Hat and other areas. Rioters attacked houses and set afire dozens of vehicles.
The police decision to allow processions in several areas despite prohibitory orders in the city has come under criticism from various sections of people.
The toll in the violence rose to two when a youth was stabbed to death in Karwan area. The communal clashes, which broke out Saturday following a dispute over religious flags, have also left over 150 people injured.
With more areas coming under curfew, authorities have postponed Class 10 examinations for Wednesday and Thursday at 410 centres in curfew-bound areas. The Osmania University has also postponed its degree examinations.
As Mahatma Gandhi Bus Station, the biggest bus station in the city, has also come under curfew, the state-owned Road Transport Corporation (RTC) shifted its bus operations to other areas.