Bhainsa clashes: No political pressure on probe, says IG

Hyderabad: North Zone Inspector General of Police Y Nagi Reddy on Tuesday said there was no political pressure on them while probing cases pertaining to the recent communal violence at Bhainsa in Nirmal district.

Despite investigating cases without any bias, the police department was unnecessarily facing criticism, he said at a press conference here while explaining the sequence of incidents that led to the clashes on March 7.

He said the police department was committed to maintain peace in Bhainsa and will not tolerate any kid of mischief by any section of people. “Superintendent of Police Vishnu S Warrier is personally camping at Bhainsa and monitoring the situation. As many as 525 personnel have been deployed in Bhainsa town. Presently, the situation is under control. We will initiate necessary measures to prevent recurrence of such incidents in future,” Nagi Reddy told the media.

Stating that the police will act impartially in the investigation of cases and that culprits will be arrested to whichever organisations they belong to, he said: “There is no truth in the allegations of bias on the part of police department.” He said, and appealed to the people of Bhainsa to help the police maintain communal harmony.

Nagi Reddy said the services of clues team, fingerprint bureau and IT core teams were being utilised for proper analysis of technical evidence. Suspects and anti-social elements who were previously involved in communal cases in the town were brought and thoroughly interrogated.

Their involvement in this incident was either established or ruled out based on evidences collected. In all, 26 cases were registered and 38 accused including four children in conflict with law from both the communities were arrested and remanded to judicial custody.

Apart from the arrested persons, the involvement of 70 other persons was established and efforts are on to nab them, he said, adding that stringent action especially externment and preventive detention would be initiated against all the offenders.

Explaining the reasons that resulted in clashes, Nagi Reddy said two youth – Thota Mahesh and Dattu Patel, who were going on a two wheeler, hit Rizwan from behind while he was walking with two of his friends Sameer and Minaj in Zulfiquar Gully in Bhainsa Town at 8.20 pm on March 7. A few minutes later, Rizwan and two others came to Batti Gully searching for Mahesh. However, they were beaten by Dattu, Rakesh, Gokul and Mahesh, who belong to Hinduvahini organization, Nagi Reddy said.

Dattu then again went to buy alcohol through Zulfiquar Gully and picked up an altercation with the youth from other community that led to stone pelting. In the meantime, a police constable Ramana Yadav on duty tried to disperse the crowd but he sustained injuries in the incident, he said.

On receipt of information around 8.30 pm, Bhainsa DSP along with other staff immediately rushed to the spot with a platoon of Telangana State Special Police (TSSP) and special parties and dispersed the gathering.

By then information spread to other people and places in the town and gatherings of two communities and stone pelting happened resulting in burning of vehicles, houses and shops in the town, he said.

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