Express news service Posted online: Friday, March 07, 2008 at 2230 hrs IST Hyderabad, March 6 The girls%u2019 madrasa run by Billa%u2019s father and alleged SIMI activist Maulana Abdul Aleem Islahi has come under police scanner after 50-odd burqa clad women %u2014 mostly students of the madrasa %u2014 stormed past the police guard, injured the outnumbered women constables and ransacked the police station where Billa was being held. The Saidabad police station had to seek additional reinforcements to control the women who smashed windowpanes and furniture, and attacked police personnel. At least 29 women, who were arrested after the incident on Wednesday night, were produced before a court which sent them in judicial custody. Between 500 and 700 girls study at the madrasa. Police officials guess that girls from all over Andhra Pradesh come to the madrasa to study religious texts, but are unsure if some of these girls have come from outside the state.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (East) T Prabhakar Rao said the women created a law and order problem and the 25-odd police personnel, including a dozen police constables, could not control them as they stormed into the police station.
'Their anger and the manner in which they were talking indicate the kind of indoctrination they have received at the madrasa. We don%u2019t know what goes on inside the madrasa and it is time we investigated that. Right now we have no clue regarding the number of students, from where they have come, what are they taught,%u201D Rao said on Thursday. He went to Islahi%u2019s house on Thursday afternoon, but did not get any answers. %u201CNine of those arrested have claimed to be minors. Hence, they have been sent for medical examination and depending on the confirmation, they will be produced in a juvenile court on Friday,' Rao added.
