All commercial establishments in Old city must shut by 7-8 PM, indefinitely: Hyderabad Cops

Hyderabad: The Hyderabad police have issued an 'off the record' directions to all commercial establishments especially located in the old city area, to shut shop between 7 PM to 8 PM, every day, indefinitely. This is being done, in order to bring the situation under control, a senior police officer told NewsMeter.

It is to recall that, following the release of BJP Goshamahal MLA T Raja Singh on Tuesday evening, widespread protests rocked parts of the old city. Charminar turned into a protest fort resulting in the arrest of 31 protestors. However, the situation was brought under control towards early Wednesday. On Wednesday evening, police patrolling vans toured around certain areas asking commercial establishments to pull down the shutters by 7 or 8 PM, everyday, indefinitely.

Shalibanda witnessed the largest protest with over 1,000 people on the streets followed by the old city and Tarnaka. People were also protesting at the DCP South Zone office in Purani Haveli. In the old city, Moghulpura, Patharghetti, Charminar, Madina, High Court saw protests at night. Some of the protesters even tried going to Goshamahal but were thrashed by the police and some of them were beaten up by Raja Singh's supporters.

Raja Singh was arrested by the Hyderabad City Taskforce and Shahithyagunj police on Tuesday morning for making derogatory comments against Prophet Muhammad. Later in the day, he was suspended from the BJP asking to show cause within 10 days on why he should not be expelled from the party. Further Singh was taken to Nampally Criminal Court where he was granted bail.

At around midnight on 22 August, Raja Singh posted a video in Shree Ram Channel Telangana wherein he made derogatory comments against Prophet Muhammad. He also abused comedian Munawar Faruqui and his mother. The video fuelled massive protests in the city at around 2 am on 23 August. A complaint was registered against Raja Singh at Dabeerpura police station, hours after which Raja Singh was arrested.

Photo Credits: Ranadheer Bakkannagari