Bhainsa communal riots: Two municipal councillors among 14 arrested by police

Police have so far arrested 14 persons and registered 15 cases relating to rioting, arson, and other offences. Police have also detained 52 people in the case so far.

Communal violence rocked Bhainsa, a small town in Telangana's Nirmal district, on Sunday in which 10 persons including a journalist and three police personnel were injured.

District administration has imposed prohibitory orders under Section 144 in the town. Cops conducted a flag march, while RTC and Internet services were suspended.

According to the inspector general of police (IGP), north zone, Y. Nagi Reddy, communal violence rocked the town on March 7 following an altercation between two youth at Zulfikar lane.

The two youth, who belong to different communities, were squabbling over a motorcycle accident. Within no time supporters of both the communities gathered and started pelting stones at each other. This was followed by incidents of arson, he said.

According to the IGP, prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the CrPC were immediately imposed to prevent the spread of violence. He said during the stone pelting, six civilians and three police officers were injured, while two houses, two auto-rickshaws, two four-wheelers, and five two-wheelers were set ablaze by miscreants.

A large number of policemen were deployed to maintain law and order in the town. According to In-charge District Superintendent of police Vishnu S. Warrier, more than 600 police personnel from the neighboring districts were pressed into service to augment the forces on the ground.