‘HYDERABAD RIOTS FANNED BY REAL ESTATE MAFIA’

A fact-finding team comprising members of five city-based organisations has revealed that the March riots in Hyderabad began as a tiff between two communities but were turned into a full-scale riot by the real estate mafia to grab prime real estate. Attacks on religious places, houses and shops were pre-planned in order to scare away the residents so that their properties could be taken over, the committee revealed. “There is evidence that the mob, which carried out these attacks, did not belong to Hyderabad. Their language and appearance were also different. Even the stones that were used to pelt at religious places and houses were brought from outside,” Lateef Mohammed Khan, Secretary of Civil Liberties Monitoring Committee (CLMC), said.  “At least 36 mosques and three temples were attacked and property including houses, shops, and hotels were burnt or damaged,” Khan said.