Telangana: Cops invoke Section 144 in Bhainsa town following group clash

Hyderabad, Mar 08: Prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) were imposed in the communally sensitive Bhainsa town of Nirmal district where members of two communities clashed, police said on Monday.

The situation is under control and peaceful, they said, adding a total of 12 people including a policeman and one journalist were injured after the two groups pelted stones on Sunday night following arguments between two bikers over a road rage issue.

Nine among the injured were treated in a local hospital in Bhainsa and one referred to a hospital in Nirmal and two others were shifted to Hyderabad and they all were now doing fine, police said.

Nirmal district (in-charge) Superintendent of Police Vishnu S Warrier said prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (banning assembly of more than five people was promulgated to control the situation), was promulgated.

Additional forces from neighbouring districts were deployed and the situation was under total control and peaceful, the senior police official said.

Police said as of now four cases were registered and more will be booked based on complaints.

Police said they were also in the process of taking those who were involved in the violence into custody.

Two houses, four vegetable shops were damaged besides one car, four two-wheelers, and few auto-rickshaws were burnt during the clashes which broke out after two bikers engaged in heated arguments over a road rage issue and beat up each other following which members of two communities gathered and indulged in stone pelting in a lane, police said.

Police rushed to the spot and dispersed the crowd.

Meanwhile, the Telangana police warned of booking criminal cases against elements found spreading rumours along with videos in social media and trying to fan communal violence in Hyderabad city.

The police also asked WhatsApp admins to keep a watch on postings in groups and immediately delete controversial posts.

Union Minister of State for Home G Kishan Reddy, who condemned the violence in Bhainsa, said he spoke to Telangana DGP Mahendar Reddy and asked him to arrest the culprits at the earliest.

"Strongly condemn the violence in Bhainsa yesterday. Attack on media personnel is disturbing & unfortunate. Spoke to @TelanganaDGP, asked him to arrest the culprits at the earliest & deploy additional forces," Kishan Reddy tweeted.

The MoS (Home) said he also spoke to Lok Sabha member from Adilabad Soyam Bapu Rao (BJP) on the issue.

Earlier, violence rocked Bhainsa town in January and May last year (2020) after communal clashes left several people including police officials injured.