By IANS,
Hyderabad: One more person was stabbed to death in Hyderabad Tuesday, taking the toll in the communal violence to two while riots spread to new areas and curfew was imposed in the limits of eight more police stations.
While curfew continued the old city without any relaxation, it was imposed in new areas following fresh clashes.
Hyderabad police Commissioner A.K. Khan said Tuesday evening that indefinite curfew would be in force in Afzalgunz, Begumbazar, Shahinathgunz, Tappachaputra, Asifnagar, Mangalhat, Kulsumpura and Habibnagar police stations.
This has taken the number of police stations under curfew to 25. Indefinite curfew was imposed in all 17 police stations in the south zone (old city) Monday night and it continued Tuesday without any relaxation.
He also imposed prohibitory orders banning processions and rallies across this Andhra Pradesh capital after clashes in new areas.
The communal violence, which was so far confined to the old city, spread to other areas in the city, triggering tension.
One person was stabbed to death in Karwan area adjoining the old city. One person was killed Monday.
Dozens of people were injured in clashes in Musheerabad, Bholakpur and Rani Gunj and other areas in central Hyderabad and its twin city Secunderabad.
Andhra Pradesh police chief Girish Kumar told reporters that police were ordered to shoot anyone carrying lethal weapons, stones or sticks in the curfew-bound old city.
While the curfew-bound old city remained by and large peaceful, trouble broke out in Musheerabad area when some people allegedly pelted stones on a religious procession. Rival groups clashed with stones and sticks. The miscreants attacked houses and damaged over 20 vehicles.
The trouble spread to nearby Bholakpur and Rani Gunj areas. In Begum Bazar area near the old city, police opened fire in the air to disperse two clashing groups.
There was tension in several areas as various organisations took out processions to mark Hanuman Jayanti. As the tension was mounting, police ordered closure of shops and business establishments in almost all parts of the city as a precautionary measure. Almost the entire city wore a deserted look.
Sporadic incidents of stone pelting were reported from curfew-bound areas of Gulzar Houz and Shahali Banda near the historic Charminar but the police controlled the situation by resorting to baton charges and arresting the miscreants.
The violence, which broke out Saturday in Moosabowli area of Hussaini Alam over a dispute on putting up of religious flags, has also left over 80 injured while several places of worship were attacked and vehicles torched.
Police imposed curfew Monday to bring the situation under control. Hundreds of policemen and paramilitary forces personnel were deployed across the communally-sensitive walled city.
Police Commissioner Khan police said police have formed special teams to identify the culprits behind the riots. “We have so far arrested 110 people in connection with various incidents and are questioning them to identify the culprits,” he said.