New Delhi: Violent clashes broke out between Hindu and Muslim groups in the old city areas of Hyderabad; located in the Indian State of Hyderabad, on the East Coast of India. Many people were injured in the incidents of stone pelting, knife attacks and arson, which broke out after devotees at a religious site in Kurmaguda in the old quarter of the city said that they found a ‘dead cow' thrown near their place of worship, on Sunday morning. In an immediate reaction, local authorities have imposed indefinite curfew in the parts of the city worst affected by the violence. They have also arrested around 57 people in a preventive measure. Devotees spontaneously organized rallies, pelted stones, shouted slogans and in some cases attacked innocent passersby, as they moved through the by lanes of the town. Police have recorded three knifing incidents, two of whom were returning from a wedding when they were attacked, the third was a passerby who was unfortunately around when a rally took place. All the three were shifted to a corporate hospital. In addition, elsewhere attacks and stone hurling incidents were reported. Sporadic incidents of arson were also reported. Police are now out in full force manning the streets of the troubled town. “Some people have been nabbed for indulging in violence, but we have not yet nabbed anyone with regard to the conspiracy (of the dead animal). Right now, the focus is on containing violence. Once it is under control, we will try to zero in on the conspirators,” a police officer said. As usual, the city buses bore the brunt of the mob fury, as 18 buses were damaged in stone-pelting incidents, forcing authorities to suspend operations on the Saidabad and Madannapet routes. Commissioner of Police, A.K. Khan, who was due for four week training, has been asked to remain behind. The Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh N. Kiran Kumar Reddy, in a statement issued late on Sunday night, called for restraint and claimed that the situation was under control.
