Clashes: police rely on video footage

Police are relying on video footage to identify the accused in the cases of communal clashes reported in the city in the past three days.

An extensive analysis of the visuals of the violent incidents - majority of them recorded by police - was undertaken to identity the accused, the Hyderabad Police Commissioner, A.K. Khan, told reporters on Wednesday. Nearly 200 video cameras were used by the police to record the clashes reported on Sunday and Monday.

“Police have crucial evidence in the form of video footage of the Bajrang Dal rally that turned violent on Tuesday. Some 75 video cameras were used for this purpose,” Mr. Khan said.

Different timings were adopted for curfew relaxation to optimally use forces available focussing on trouble prone areas.

“People better buy essential commodities for at least two days as there will not be any curfew relaxation on Friday in South Zone,” the Commissioner said. No decision was taken yet on relaxing curfew in eight police stations of West zone and one each in Central and East zones.

The relaxation period is meant to purchase essential commodities, milk, groceries and medicines.

Arrangements were being made in coordination with marketing department to sell vegetables and other goods, he said.

Meanwhile, the circulation of hate messages through short message service of mobile phones during communal clashes was being investigated by the Cyber Crime Cell.