Police in Telagana's Bodhan town further stepped up security on Monday, March 21, in view of a bandh call given by the BJP and some Hindu groups to protest against violence over the installation of Chhatrapati Shivaji’s statue on Sunday, March 20.
Teargas shells to disperse the crowd brought the situation under control. A constable was injured in the stone-hurling and sent for a medical examination, said the police. According to officials, the statue was placed by one political group, which was opposed by another. This resulted in protests and stone-hurling. The prohibitory orders under Section 144 (of CrPC) were imposed, said Nizamabad Commissioner of Police KR Nagaraju.
Police pickets were set up and preventive arrests were being made, another senior police official-in-charge of law and order told PTI. No permission was obtained for installing the statue, said the official. Additional policemen were deployed and peace was ensured, he said. The police also said that stringent action would be taken if anyone is found forcing shopkeepers to down their shutters. Road Transport Corporation (RTC) buses were plying normally in the town.
BJP, Hindu Vahini and Shiv Sena had called for the bandh to protest Sunday's incident. BJP MP from Nizamabad Dharmapuri Arvind had warned the state government against any attempt to remove the statue. "The Bodhan Municipal Council had accepted the proposed Shivaji Maharaj's idol and passed a resolution. Yet, the TRS-MIM hooligans are creating ruckus & tensions in the town,” he tweeted.
"Now, the ruling TRS councillor openly threatened to disrupt law & order of the Bodhan town, if #ShivajiMaharaj's idol is installed! (sic)," the BJP leader said in another tweet.
BJP state president Bandi Sanjay Kumar also slammed the government and the police over handling of the situation. He alleged that ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) and its friendly party All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) had conspired to stop installation of the statue.
Telangana Home Minister Mohammed Mahmood Ali spoke to Director General Police (DGP) of the State M Mahendar Reddy over the incident, an official press release said. The DGP is said to have told the Minister that the law and order situation was under control and that senior police officers were there to monitor the situation. Stating that police remain alert to maintain peace and law and order, the Home Minister appealed to people to cooperate with the police.