A day after members of two political groups indulged in stone-pelting following ‘overnight’ installation of a statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj at Bodhan town in Nizamabad district, situation remained peaceful on Monday.
Speaking to The Hindu, Additional Director General of Police Y Nagi Reddy said that four cases were registered and 12 persons who were involved in the stone-pelting and disturbed the peace and tranquillity in the town were arrested and remanded to judicial custody.
“The situation remained under control since yesterday evening. However, a large number of police personnel were deployed and they are patrolling to prohibit further escalation of the matter,” he said, adding that several pickets were set up in and around the town. The Prohibitory orders under Section 144 of CrPC, which was imposed on Sunday, continued in the town on Monday too, and the officers would take a call on extending or lifting the orders depending on the situation.
In view of the band call given by Hindu organisations, as many as 213 people were taken into preventive custody, Mr. Reddy said.
On Sunday morning, scuffle broke out between the members of two political parties, after one group installed the statue overnight without any permission. The other group opposed it as it had no permission from the Bodhan Municipal Council, and demanded to remove it, as a result, the situation turned violent.
Police lobbed teargas shells and resorted to lathicharge to disperse the groups, and bring the situation under control.