Police foil march to Amberpet’s religious structure, 40 arrested

HYDERABAD: The police on Sunday foiled the attempt of Dargah-E-Jehad-O-Shah-dat (DJS) to offer prayer at a disputed place of worship in Amberpet.
In a pre-dawn operation, the sleuths of Commissioner’s Task force arrested DJS president Mohammed Abdul Majid, secretary Salahuddin Affan and Shaik Saifullah Khalid, son of former DJS Chief Shaik Mahboob Ali, from the Old City.

The police also picked up certain BJP leaders who thronged Amberpet to protest against the DJS call. A group of 20 BJP activists under the leadership of Ale Jitender, son of former BJP Legislator Ale Nareder, also contested BJP MLA candidate from Malakpet and BJYM City President Vinay were taken into custody at Burjgalli in Amberpet and shifted to Bollaram and Bowenpally police stations.
Later the police in afternoon arrested as many as 20 youth near Dargah Amber Shah while they gathered for marching towards the place of worship at Amberpet. The Hyderabad police and the Intelligence agencies were on alert, following a social media post circulated by the DJS, appealing people of the community to join the noon prayers at Amberpet place of worship, which was allegedly demolished by the GHMC as part of road widening.
In wake of tension at the disputed place of worship and in order to prevent persons from gathering at Amberpet site, the police cordoned off the whole Amberpet area and eight checkposts were established to identify the trouble makers.
Intelligence and special branch sleuths in plain clothes too were pressed into service. The police also increased surveillance and patrolling has been intensified in the localities surrounding Amberpet to prevent trouble.