Communally sensitive Bhainsa town in north Telangana has been tense since Sunday night after clashes broke out between two groups.

As per initial reports, ten people, including media persons, civilians and police personnel, were injured, and two houses and at least one auto-rickshaw were set ablaze during the incident. Three of the injured were rushed to the Nizamabad district hospital for treatment.

Reports suggest that the clashes took place at around 8:30 PM when a biker and members of other community had an argument on the road in Zelfekar lane. According to local reports, some youth were moving around the residential area on bikes whose silencers have been removed. These provocative actions spiralled into a major conflagration near Zulgiqar Mosque in the town.

The Nirmal Police, in a statement to the press, said that the incident involving the young men took place at 8.45 pm, and within no time, supporters of both the communities gathered and pelted stones at each other followed by arson.

When the police learned about the incident, they rushed to the spot. Section 144 has been imposed in the area. Adilabad Superintendent of Police Vishnu S Warrier was also rushed to Bhainsa. The additional force was placed in the area to ensure law and order.

The Bhainsa Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) and the Inspector of Police, Bhainsa town rushed to the spot along with a Telangana State Special Police platoon and Special Parties to disperse the crowd.

Around 500 additional forces were rushed to Bhainsa to bring the situation under control. The police finally managed to do so by 10.30 pm. The police declared prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the CrPc to prevent the gathering of persons and since then, there has been no instance of violence reported from the town, they said.

Police said that during stone pelting, six civilians and three police officers suffered injuries, apart from material loss in the form of fire damage to two houses, two autorickshaws, two four-wheelers and five two-wheelers.

Bharatiya Janata Party MP Dharmapuri Arvind on Tuesday alleged that an All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) leader is responsible for the recent communal clashes that took place at Bhainsa town in Telangana’s Nirmal district.

“AIMIM leader Mohammad Jabir Ahmed is the cause for communal violence in Bhainsa. They have been involved in land grabbing for some time now and when the local Hindus, whose land have been grabbed by Jabir, have been spreading the news via social media, communal violence has begun," Arvind told news agency ANI.

Reports suggest police have detained close to 50 people in connection with the violence. Secunderabad MP and Union Home Minister for the state, G Kishan Reddy announced on social media that Union Home Minister Amit Shah called him to take stock of the situation. Nizamabad MP Arvind Dharmapuri on the other hand accused the AIMIM of being behind the clashes.

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