Police Commissioner denies favouring any group

Hyderabad, Nov 11 (INN): City Police Commissioner Anurag Sharma on Sunday claimed that the Bhagyalakshmi Temple Committee was allowed to cover the temple structure with tarpaulin sheets only to ensure that the status quo as on October 30, ordered by the Andhra Pradesh High Court was maintained.

The Commissioner said that in pursuance of the interim directions of the High Court, the Hyderabad Collector and GHMC Commissioner consulted the Archeological Survey of India, to determine the status as on October 30.

The ASI gave its opinion in writing that the temporary structure had a cover as on 30-10-2012.

Based on these facts and discussions, the civic authorities permitted the Bhagyalakshmi Temple Committee to cover the temple structure with tarpaulin sheets, as an interim measure, which the Temple Committee carried out on Sunday between 07 am and 08 am.

Anurag Sharma said that since, it was a sensitive measure, the police force was deployed in the area to maintain peace and law and order.

However, he said that the MIM party leaders along with its cadres carried out protests against the works by organising dharnas, rallies and effigy burnings in various parts of Hyderabad City.

The MIM party workers staged dharnas at Gulzar House, Mecca Masjid, Nalgonda X-roads, infront of Chaderghat PS, Chanchalguda X-roads, Chandrayangutta X-roads, ACP Santhoshnagar Office, Towlichowki X-roads, Khaja Mansion X-roads, Humayunagar and Panjagutta X roads. They also burnt the effigy of State Government at Machili Kaman, Charminar.

The protestors resorted to stone pelting at Chandrayangutta X-roads, Anmol Hotel, Edi Bazar, Kalabhairavi Temple, Hussaini Alam and Musabowli X-roads in which four RTC buses, two private cars, one bank ATM glass panes and one cloth shop glass panes were damaged.

The City Police has registered 18 cases in the above incidents, which includes nine cases in South Zone, five in East Zone, three in West Zone and one in Central Zone.

Sevean MLAs and one MLC of MIM were taken into preventive custody when they were trying to violate prohibitory orders and later released, the Commissioner said. In other cases, 10 GHMC Corporators and 109 activists of MIM were also arrested.

Anurag Sharma said that the situation in the Old City was peaceful and under control. Additional forces have been deployed in all sensitive areas to maintain peace and law and order. Pickets and patrolling have been organised in all the sensitive areas for maintenance of peace.

The Commissioner said that in certain sections of print and electronic media, the law enforcement agencies were being repeatedly projected in a partisan manner.

"It is hereby clarified that the police only has the job of maintenance of law and order and does not have any reason to favour any particular group. Action is being initiated according to the law and the provisions of Cable TV Network (Regulation) Act 1995 for such biased reports/telecasts," he said.

Anurag Sharma has appealed to the people not to give credence to rumours being floated through telephone/SMS/Social Networking sites.

The malicious and inflammatory content of certain sites is also being taken cognizance of and efforts are being made continuously to identify and prosecute the perpetrators, he said.