Black Day protests erupt in Old City

Hyderabad: As many as 21 activists of Darsgah-e-Jihad-o-Shahadat (DJS) were arrested by the city police on Friday morning in Old City of Moghalpura when they held protest to mark the 21st anniversary of demolition of Babri Masjid.

Trouble broke out in the Old City during the second half of the day when a person started pelting stones at the people who were dispersing from Mecca Masjid after offering their Friday prayers. Unconfirmed reports said that one person, wearing a black dress with a religious symbol, resorted to stone pelting which created a panic like situation when others joined the melee. Though the police tried to control the situation, the protestors started raising slogans and the chaos continued for quite a sometime. The DJS activists, including its president and general secretary, were taken into custody after they resorted to burning of an effigy of Sangh Parivar near their office at Moghalpura. They also raised slogans demanding action against those responsible for the demolition of mosque and also demanded reconstruction of Babri Masjid at the same site in Ayodhya.

They were taken into preventive custody, shifted to police station and were later let off.

Addressing a press conference later, DJS secretary, Ahmed Mohiuddin Shareef, condemned the arrest of DJS activists who were protesting peacefully. Areas like Moghalpura, Shah-ali-Banda, Alijah Kotla and the Mecca Masjid stretch wore deserted look after the incident took place.