Chaos reigned in Falaknuma division of old city on Thursday morning as police refused to allow people to come onto the roads during curfew relaxation time.
Businessmen stepping out to open their shops were sent away by the policemen without explaining if there was any change in curfew relaxation timing. Since the police announced curfew would be relaxed from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Thursday, many stepped out to buy vegetables and milk. To their surprise, lathi-wielding policemen rudely asked them to leave the place and go back home. “I started to buy milk for my kid. The police don't have courtesy to reason out why I am not supposed to come out,” said T. Anil of Uppuguda. Students going to school-some attending their annual exams-were confused. With no one to explain what had happened, their worried parents had to ring up the schools. But not many could get proper explanations since the school managements too were unaware why the police were not allowing people outside.
South Zone DCP, N. Madhusudhan Reddy, said in the evening that curfew relaxation was delayed only for two hours in the morning anticipating trouble during the funeral procession of a communal riot victim of Chatrinaka. The victim, a 48-year-old man, died in Osmania General Hospital on Wednesday undergoing treatment. On Friday, curfew would be relaxed from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. in the areas of 25 police stations.
