BJP leader among nine arrested in Medak for communal clashes over alleged illegal cattle slaughter

BJP Medak district president Gaddam Srinivas, Medak town president M Nayam Prasad and seven others were arrested.

ByDeepika Pasham

Published Jun 16, 2024 | 4:03 PM Updated Jun 16, 2024 | 4:56 PM

Medak communal clash

Following clashes over alleged illegal cattle slaughter, the Medak police in Telangana arrested nine people including BJP leaders and people from the Muslim community.

BJP Medak district president Gaddam Srinivas, Medak town president M Nayam Prasad and seven others who were allegedly involved in communal clashes were arrested by the police on Saturday, 15 June.

The clashes took place in Medak town. A hospital in the town which treated injured people was also damaged by a mob.

Meanwhile, Goshamahal BJP MLA said on X that he was detained by the Shamshabad police after he announced his plans to visit the clash-affected village.

Later, the MLA visited some of the injured BJP members at a hospital.

Also Read: ‘Raja Singh songs’ link to recent communal clashes in Telangana

The clashes

It is alleged that a group, comprising members of the BJP belonging to the Hindu community, attacked Miraj ul Uloom Madrasa. The attackers claimed that illegal cattle slaughter took place at the madrasa while its authorities said it was meant for rearing.

Following the attack, there were protests on the evening of 15 June against it, and police eventually dispersed the people gathered. Medak Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Mahender said that people belonging to the two groups have been remanded.

He added that Gaddam Srinivas, who was seen with weapons, was also arrested and cases were registered against the two groups.

“We have remanded BJP members and people from the Muslim community. Four individuals, two from each group, have sustained injuries and were admitted to private hospitals. We have also deployed additional force, sourced from Siddipet, Kamareddy, to maintain peace,” he said.

Also Read: Woman arrested in POCSO case in Telangana

Videos of attack goes viral

Meanwhile, the videos of the violence went viral on social media which showed people bleeding and youngsters running with sticks in their hands. In the videos, Gaddam Srinivas is seen holding a long stick and walking with police guards.

AIMIM MLA Kausar Mohiuddin posted about the violence on X. He said some of the injured were admitted to Princess Esra Hospital (a unit of Owaisi Group of Hospitals) in Hyderabad.

 

 

In the video, Indrapuri colony members said that they were chased and beaten up by the BJP members.

“Over two hundred people rushed into the shops and attacked us with sticks. We were bleeding and ran to a nearby hospital and police station to take shelter but we were followed and beaten up by the BJP supporters,” members of the Muslim community said in the video.

However, when contacted, BJP local members said, “Everybody (involved in the attacks) is arrested. According to our information, there was illegal cattle slaughter. We tried to speak with the Muslims but we were not with an intention to beat anybody.”

The police said that the mob also damaged Medak Orthopedic & General Hospital which treated an injured person who took shelter there. Hospital authorities said that one of their nursing staff suffered a broken leg and had to be rushed to another hospital.

“Around 150 to 200 people barged into the hospital and made damages. A car was vandalised and a nurse was assaulted who suffered a broken leg,” the hospital authorities said in a video.

Questioning whether it was a crime to treat a patient, they said, “Tomorrow a Muslim or a Hindu might visit us (for treatment) and (irrespective of their religion) we must treat everybody.”

(Edited by Muhammed Fazil)

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