HYDERABAD, DEC 7: The Old City remained tense for the second day today even as police had to fire in the air and use tear-gas to disperse agitating crowds in Moghulpura area. Meanwhile, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu ordered a judicial inquiry into yesterday's police firing in the Old City.

Police lobbed tear-gas shells and pressed a water canon into service near Volta Hotel at Moghulpura to quell the mob, which resorted to heavy stone-pelting. A few police personnel, including Special Branch Deputy Commissioner of Police Umapathy, sustained minor injuries in the incident. Later, the Rapid Action Force (RAF) patrolled the affected area along with the city police.

Two persons were killed in the Old City yesterday following a bandh call given by several organisations protesting against the Babri Masjid demolition five years ago.

One youth was stabbed by unidentified assailants while a woman , standing on the terrace of her house, died when she was hit by a stray bullet fired by police to disperse a rioting mob in Talabkatta area.

Even as the Old City was returning to normal in the morning, fresh trouble broke out at Talabkatta, Moghulpura and Hussaini Alam in the afternoon when the funeral procession of the firing victim was taken out from her residence at Talabkatta.

Police made elaborate arrangements at Moghulpura to prevent the crowd going towards Mecca Masjid. A group of persons had earlier insisted that they would take the body to the Masjid to offer prayers.

When the funeral procession, which started from the house of the deceased reached the hotel, some persons hurled stones on the police. They were, however, pacified by MBT MLA Amanullah Khan and he later accompanied the procession to the burial ground.

While returning from the funeral, the mourners grew restive and indulged in stone pelting for more than 30 minutes. Police used tear-gas to disperse the crowds. The battle between the police and the agitators then spread to the bylanes.

In another incident, an Andhra Pradesh Special Police (APSP) constable fired in the air at Bakshi Bazar when an unruly mob hurled stones at a police picket.

City police commissioner R P Singh told The Indian Express this evening that no major incidents took place in the city today. He said that security in the sensitive areas had been stepped up and appealed to the people not to give credence to rumours.

Thirty platoons of armed policemen were deployed in the South Zone additionally to strengthen the existing forces. Senior police officials from other wings were also pressed into service even as police patrolling has been intensified and pickets have been strengthened under Bhavaninagar, Moghulpura police station limits.

In a press release late tonight, R P Singh observed that yesterday's police firing was necessitated due to the unruly behaviour of the mob and tense situation prevailing in the locality.

Meanwhile, the Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) today demanded payment of an ex-gratia of Rs five lakh to the kin of the deceased. A two member team consisting of Mohammad Ali Shabbir and Ashok Singh appointed by PCC president Mallikarjun today visited parts of the Old City where the rioting and police firing took place and inquired about the causes for the incidents.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.