By Muslim Mirror Staff
New Delhi: The Telangana Police on Tuesday said that the Bhainsa violence, in which 12 persons including three police personnel were injured, was triggered by the members of Hindut Vahini.
Addressing a press conference on Tuesday, Telangana North Zone Inspector General of Police Y Nagi Reddy said that 26 cases were registered in connection to the violence and most of the accused were members of the Hindu Vahini. As many as 38 persons, including four children, belonging to both the communities, have been arrested and remanded in judicial custody.
He said that on 7 March at 8.20 pm, Hindut Vahini members Dattu Patel and Thota Mahesh who were riding a bike deliberately picked a fight by hitting a person identified as Rizwan while he was walking on a road along with his friends near Zulfiqar mosque in the town.
Subsequently at 8.30 pm, when Rizwan along with his friends went searching for the duo, Rakesh, Gokul and Mahesh– all members of the Hindu Vahini– attacked them.
Further, Dattu Patel went again near Zulfiqar mosque and picked up a fight, leading to stone pelting between two religious groups, police said in its press release.
This minor incident was turned into a communal flare-up by the members of the Hindu Vahini and spread to the entire town when two counsellors– Abdul Khabeer from the AIMIM and Thota Vijay, an ex-member of Hindu Vahini– each gathering crowds and engaging in arson, police said.
Four houses, 13 shops, four autorickshaws, six four wheelers and five two wheelers were set on fire. Violence, however, on a minor scale continued for the next two days in Pardi and Mahagaon. Police said that the violence on the following days were the handiwork of Hindu Vahini District president Santosh, who has been arrested.
A curfew has been imposed in Bhainsa since the March 7 violence and the internet continues to be suspended. Police, however, have relaxed the curfew timings to four hours.