The Hyderabad unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) called for a bandh in the city's Goshamahal area on Friday to protest against what it claimed, was an attack on its lone legislator in Telangana, despite the police claiming that the MLA had inflicted injuries on himself.
Mild tension prevailed at Jumeraat Bazaar in Hyderabad’s Old City area late on Wednesday night after Raja Singh and his supporters attempted to replace a statue of Rani Avanti Bai Lodh, with a much larger one of the freedom fighter.
There was no permission for the same from Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC). As the police tried to stop the group, the MLA and his supporters attempted to attack the police and force their way through.
While the BJP claims that this was when the police lathi-charged the MLA and injured him, officials have denied this and even released a video to corroborate their version of events.
The video shows Raja Singh picking up a big stone and hitting himself on the head, even as the police attempt to stop him. Following this, one of his supporters is seen touching his head, showing that he is bleeding and trying to rile up others.
“The allegations against police are completely false. The video which has been shared widely clearly shows that Raja Singh inflicted injury upon himself with a granite stone. The injury to him could be because of this,” Hyderabad West Zone DCP Srinivas Reddy told reporters, adding that it was the MLA who manhandled police personnel first.
However, the BJP seems to be in no mood to listen as state party president K Laxman met with Raja Singh and continued to claim that the legislator was a 'victim' of police 'atrocity' being meted out by the Telangana government.
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