Hyderabad: Tension prevailed at Hyderabad’s Gudimalkapur late on Saturday night, May 16, after two groups pelted stones at each other following a rumour over cattle transportation, with the police registering a case in the matter.
Trouble started around midnight when some self-proclaimed cow vigilantes stopped a container on suspicion of cattle transportation. The vehicle, however, was found to be carrying cardboard material. The gau rakshaks pelted stones at the container, following which local residents who had gathered at the spot retaliated and chased them away.
Upon being alerted, the local police rushed to the spot and tried to disperse the mob. At least two policemen sustained injuries in the stone pelting, while a few passersby were also hurt. Several vehicles were damaged in the incident.
Police rush to spot
Senior police officials rushed additional forces to assist the local police. All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) MLA Majid Hussain also reached the spot and pacified the people. The police have intensified patrolling in the area to prevent any further escalation.
“The police has done the worst possible control. When there was a complaint and sloganeering by people that cattle was being transported, where was the police? The people who were carrying plywood were attacked. When I asked the inspector why there was such a commotion,” the AIMIM legislator said.
According to visuals of the incident, the MLA along with locals also were seen in a sit down protest for some time until things were resolved. “When locals were telling the police that it is a plywood carrying truck and were asking why there was violence over it. All that the inspector said is that he will do a lathi charge. You could have kept the vehicle near the Asif Nagar police station. What is the use of this useless policing that is helping communal violence?” Hussain asked.
MBT questions police inaction
Majlis Bachao Tehreek (MBT) spokesperson Amjedullah Khan questioned the Hyderabad police over their inaction in preventing attacks on cattle transporters at Gudimalkapur. In a video, Amjedullah Khan said that around 150 gau rakshaks holding saffron flags stopped a truck carrying bulls and attacked the driver on Gudimalkapur road.
“The gau rakshaks blocked the traffic for over an hour and there was no action from the police. What is the special branch doing when so many people are gathering to create trouble in a pre-planned manner?” Amjedullah Khan questioned.
The MBT spokesperson said that Telangana Director General of Police (DGP) CV Anand had, a few days ago, warned cow vigilantes against taking the law into their own hands and stated that cases would be registered against them. However, he alleged, the police are standing as mute spectators wherever the gau rakshaks are creating trouble on the roads and attacking cattle traders.
| | 
