Hyderabad, May 15
Andhra Pradesh Governor ESL Narasimhan today ordered a magisterial inquiry into the Kishanbagh police firing incident in Old City wherein three persons were killed and several others injured in communal clashes.

The situation in the curfew-bound Kishanbagh area remained tense but under control with no untoward incident being reported today. The curfew would remain in force and a strict vigil would be maintained in the riot-hit areas, city Police Commissioner CV Anand said.

Three persons were killed in police firing yesterday following communal clashes over burning of a religious flag. Nearly 20 persons, including some policemen, were injured in the clashes and the subsequent police firing.

The trouble broke out near Sikh Chawni when members of a particular community found their religious symbol having been burnt by unknown miscreants.

Tension gripped the area as an angry mob, armed with swords and sticks, attacked two youths belonging to another community blaming them for the flag burning incident. This led to violent clashes between the rival groups who started pelting stones at each other.

When the situation appeared going out of hand, the BSF personnel opened fire to quell the clashing mob, leading to the death of three persons.

“The situation is under control now. No untoward incident has been reported so far. We are appealing to people not to heed to rumours of any kind,” said a police officer.

Governor ESL Narasimhan reviewed the situation at a high-level meeting with the police top brass and appealed to the people to maintain social harmony and peace.

The police had imposed indefinite curfew under Section 144 of the CrPC in Rajendranagar police station limits after the riots broke out. Along with the city police, a huge posse of paramilitary personnel, including Rapid Action Force (RAF), was deployed in the sensitive areas to bring the situation under control. Some history-sheeters in the area have been rounded up and were being questioned in connection with the incident.

A strict vigil was being maintained in the affected areas, the police said.

Hyderabad MP and president of Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM) Asaduddin Owaisi condemned the police firing, saying the situation could have been brought under control without resorting to firing.

He demanded a judicial inquiry into the incident by a sitting judge of the High Court. In a letter to the Governor, he alleged that the police had failed to act when a mob, armed with swords, attacked the houses of a particular community and burnt their vehicles.

(With PTI inputs)