4 held for Old City communal riots

HYDERABAD: Four persons, who were allegedly involved in temple desecration at Kurmaguda in Madannapet police station limits which triggered clashes between two communities recently, were arrested by the Special Investigation Team of the Central Crime Station on Friday.However, two key accused in the case are still absconding. The motive of the incident was strengthening their unity in the locality.According to the police, the four persons had thrown meat and sprinkled green water on the grill of Hanuman temple at Kurmaguda. The incident triggered communal riots in Saidabad and Madannapet police station limits and led to imposition of curfew.The arrested are GHMC sanitation superviser Nagaraj of Maddannapet, flower decorator Kiran Kumar, hotel waiter Ramesh alias Chinna and car driver Dayand Singh of Kurmaguda. The key accused who are at large are moneylender Srinivas alias Salman Srinu and liquor trader Niranjan.Police said Srinu and Niranjan hatched a conspiracy at a restaurant on April 7 when they asked Nagaraj, Kiran Kumar, Ramesh and Dayanand Singh to throw pieces of cow legs and sprinkle green-colour water on the wall of Sri Abhayanjaneya Swamy temple which divides two clusters of homes where two groups of people are residing.“Nagaraj, Kiran, Ramesh and Dayanad gathered at a wine shop at Champapet and discussed the preparation , procurement of the materials to be used at the temple. After having consumed liquor, Nagaraju and Ramesh procured two pieces of cow legs and a paint bottle. They went to the temple and threw the cow legs on the temple wall and also sprinkled the coloured water at the place,’’ police said.