Six minors among 21 arrested for violence in old city

Evidence gathered from surveillance cameras installed at junctions

Normality returns to Charminar as police relax restrictions on movement of traffic on Saturday. Photo: Mohammed Yousuf

Normality returned to the old city with no untoward incident reported on Saturday, and the police too relaxed the restrictions on the movement of traffic.

Situation was normal at Charminar, which witnessed heavy stone-pelting and burning of vehicles, after police prevented the minority youth from offering ‘salam’ at a chilla adjacent to the historic monument.

Police began scrutinising the footage from surveillance cameras installed at junctions to identify those involved in violence and arrested 21 persons for their alleged involvement in the violent incidents.

Counselling

Police found evidence about six minors, who were allegedly involved in stone-pelting and damaging vehicles. While five of them were let-off after counselling in the presence of their parents, one was arrested and produced before a juvenile court.

“We have told their parents to be careful and ensure that their children didn’t take up the path of violence. Some of the minors were students,” the Detective Department DCP P.John Victor said.

The 21 persons arrested were accused of damaging vehicles and pelting stones on policemen. Sixteen cases were registered till Saturday night in connection with the violent incidents reported in old city the previous day.

The number could go up as complaints were coming in and verification into the allegations was on, police said.

Visuals sought from TV channels

Evidence was also being sought from different TV news channels whose cameramen recorded the visuals of the violent incidents. Requests are being sent to social networking sites if any objectionable photos or text was found posted. However, no specific cases were registered in this regard, the DCP said.

Meanwhile, Azampura corporator Amjed Ullah Khan said police released 16 youngsters, who were detained on suspicion of their involvement in violent incidents.

Mr. Khan said he had submitted names of 38 persons, who were arrested by the police and sought their release claiming that the detained persons were not involved in any cases.

The police had released 16 of them after verifying their antecedents, Mr. Khan said.