Police vigil heightened in Attapur days after Bakrid unrest

Heavy police deployment remains in place in Rambagh area after violence over a cattle transport vehicle.

Two days after violence broke out at Kanta Reddy Colony in Rambagh area over a cattle transport vehicle, heavy police deployment remains in place along the narrow commercial lane linking Attapur and Bahadurpura.

On Wednesday, five khaki-clad personnel sat alert outside the residential towers where the clash had erupted on Bakrid night. Several others patrolled the stretch, some on foot and others in vehicles, keeping a close watch on public movement. Drawn from other police zones, these officers have been stationed in the area for bandobust duties, to avert any further unrest.

The road, roughly 3-km long and about 60-foot wide, is a bustling artery lined with eateries, general stores, hosiery shops and pharmacies on both sides. It is just wide enough for a car and a bus to pass side by side. Adil Hussain (name changed), who runs an eatery along the stretch, was in the middle of service when the violence began. “There were a lot of families dining inside. Suddenly, the road outside filled with people, at least 200 to 300 people in minutes. Fearing it would spiral, I brought the shutter down halfway, with diners still inside,” he recalled.

On the opposite side, a general store owner Jatin Rathod (name changed) was preparing to close for the night when the first stones struck. “It was around 10.30 p.m and my elder brother, a worker and I were busy with customers. We didn’t realise what was happening until we heard stones hitting the marble floor. Then, stones began crashing into the store,” Rathod said.

“We tried to close the shutter, but the rice sacks kept it ajar. Within seconds, around 20 to 25 people rushed in seeking cover.”

Those inside, including a young girl with her mother, huddled behind cabinets, shielding themselves as more stones rained down. “If that shutter hadn’t been halfway down, our windows would have shattered. We could’ve been seriously hurt,” he added, pointing at the items stacked in the glass cabinets right next to the cash counter.

Police reached the spot within minutes. “They pulled everyone out and detained some. We don’t know who they were. But they were taken away in a large van,” Rathod said.