Tension in Hyd over rumours of expansion work near Charminar

The police arrested five legislators of the Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM) near Charminar on Sunday as tension mounted in the Old City over a temple row.

MIM leader Akbaruddin Owaisi and four others were taken into custody while they gathered to ask the police to stop expansion of Bhagylaxmi Temple.
The MIM leaders alleged that despite the Andhra Pradesh High Court ordering status quo, some groups were carrying out the expansion work but the police remained a mute spectator.
The police arrested the MIM leaders and their followers and took them to Bolarum police station.
Police Commissioner Anurag Sharma appealed to the people to maintain peace and not to believe the rumours. The police chief said they would implement the court orders.
The usually busy roads around the 400-year-old Charminar monument even on Sundays were deserted with police sealing off all the routes.
Barricades and barbed fencing were erected along the roads leading to Charminar as some organisations had planned rally to get ready the temple by Diwali.
The police also intensified patrolling in the communally sensitive areas of the Old City which witnessed communal clashes a few days ago.
Section 144 remained in force in areas falling under five police station limits.
A large number of policemen including the Rapid Action Force (RAF) were deployed. A curfew-like situation prevailed in the area.  All vehicles entering the area were thoroughly checked and people were also frisked.
The Bhagyalaxmi Temple Protection Committee on Saturday announced plans to decorate the temple and perform a puja Sunday. The committee warned that if it was prevented from doing so, a rally would be taken out.
The committee members including former BJP legislator Baddam Bal Reddy claimed that the temple is as old as Charminar and accused the police of acting at the behest of the MIM.
The BJP took out a rally outside the Old City on Saturday to protest what it called the “attempts by MIM to hurt the religious sentiments of Hindus”.