Blast toll 16, protests across Andhra Pradesh
May 19, 2007 - 3:24:14 PM
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About 50 percent of the city's four million population live in the old city, founded four centuries ago. Muslims, who constitute 40 percent of the city's total population, are an overwhelming majority in the old city The area is notorious for poor civic amenities and traffic congestion when compared to other parts of Hyderabad and Secunderabad.
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By IANS,
[RxPG] Hyderabad, May 19 - The situation continued to be tense in parts of Hyderabad Saturday a day after a blast ripped through a mosque claiming 16 lives, including five in police firing to quell violence, as demonstrations were held across Andhra Pradesh to protest the terror attack.
Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy told a joint news conference with Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil Saturday that 11 people were killed in the bomb blast at the historic Mecca Masjid while five died in police firing.
Reddy said the situation was under control and announced a government job to one member of each bereaved family and a house to the houseless.
He said the Prime Minister's Office had announced compensation of Rs.100,000 each to the kin of those killed. This is in addition to Rs.500,000 each compensation announced by the state government Friday.
He said 56 people were injured in the blast and in police firing and had announced Rs.20,000 compensation to each of those injured Friday.
Meanwhile, sporadic incidents of violence were reported from different parts of Andhra Pradesh during demonstrations to protest the blast.
A shutdown is being observed on a call given by the Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen - and several towns are witnessing protest rallies.
While a complete shutdown is being observed in the old city of Hyderabad and in parts of other cities, the response is mixed in its twin city Secunderabad. The shutdown had no impact on Cyberabad, which houses IT companies and institutes of excellence.
No untoward incident has been reported from the Muslim-majority old city area of Hyderabad but reports of protestors damaging a few buses and trucks were pouring in from some towns.
Though no organisation has called for a shutdown in other parts of the state, many traders voluntarily shut down shops in a mark of protest. In towns like Adilabad, Hindus also joined their Muslim brethren in rallies to protest the bomb attack.
Protestors blocked vehicular and rail traffic and forced closure of shops at a few places. Reports of demonstrations have come in from Mahabubnagar, Nizamabad, Adilabad, Karimnagar and other towns in Telangana, which has a sizeable Muslim population. Rallies were taken out in Vijayawada, Machilipatnam and Rajhamundry in coastal Andhra.
Shops, business establishments, banks, petrol pumps and cinema theatres were shutdown in the old city and other parts of Hyderabad while state-owned Road Transport Corporation buses kept off the roads. Even the ubiquitous auto rickshaws were off the roads. Osmania University cancelled all its examinations.
Hundreds of policemen and paramilitary personnel were deployed in sensitive areas of the old city.
The bodies of those killed in the blast and police firing were handed over to their relatives and the police was keeping a tight vigil to prevent any trouble during their funeral.
Black flags have been hoisted in streets to protest the blast in the mosque and subsequent police firing on protestors.
Police have made elaborate security arrangements in view of the three-day Tableegi Jamaat meeting beginning Saturday at Mamidipalli, about 10 km from the blast site. The organisers expect half a million people to turn up for the meeting.
Friday's blast occurred at the 17th century mosque, a stone's throw away from Charminar, the symbol of Hyderabad and the heart of the old city. The area is surrounded by centuries-old markets famous for bangles, bridal wear and pearls. The mosque is also surrounded by impressive and historic structures and palaces of Muslim rulers of erstwhile Hyderabad State.
About 50 percent of the city's four million population live in the old city, founded four centuries ago. Muslims, who constitute 40 percent of the city's total population, are an overwhelming majority in the old city The area is notorious for poor civic amenities and traffic congestion when compared to other parts of Hyderabad and Secunderabad.
Though the old city witnessed worst communal riots in 1970s and 1980s, no major violence was reported since 1990, when large-scale riots had claimed over 200 lives.
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