Hyderabad: Cops keep hawk’s eye on Old City sensitive areas

Hyderabad : As the city is set to witness two important religious gatherings, Ganesh immersion and Milad-un-Nabi falling on the same day, Hyderabad city police intensifies its Chabutra Mission in Old City sensitive areas. Police personnel from the department also started meetings with organisers of both communities regarding facilities and restrictions to ensure no communal tension prevails and to keep an eye on trouble-mongers.

Due to the outbreak of communal violence, Old City was once known as "curfew city," but due to Ganga Jamuni Tehzeeb, things there have significantly changed in recent years. It is no longer a place where there is communal tension, since there is now friendly policing by the city police as well as residents.

Police officers during late nights are going full throttle with their Chabutra Mission in the communal sensitive areas to uphold law and order and prevent any unpleasant incidents during approaching festivals. Police were also seen barricading the area and questioning youngsters about them venturing out during the night.

The Commissioner also held a coordination meeting with representatives of various government departments with regard to security arrangements for the festivals. He said the celebrations should be conducted without any untoward incident anywhere. The police chief instructed their officers to maintain a tight vigil in their jurisdictions till the festivals conclude tranquilly.

“The Ganesh festival should be conducted peacefully and gloriously. Moreover, Milad-un-Nabi is also a grand celebration among Muslims. The police personnel are holding a meeting among all community members and counselling everyone, especially the youngsters. As it is said that only 0.1 per cent might attempt to disrupt the peace, the combined efforts of the majority could effectively counter any such nuisances,” said a senior police officer.

The DCP South Zone, Gaja Rao Bhupal during counselling the youth told them not to venture out unless there was an emergency during night hours.

He said that the youngsters are carrying a stripe of paracetamol or brufen tablets or some syrup bottles with them and when stopped they immediately show it to us and say ‘medical ko gaya tha’.

“Some tried to escape by showing one or two tablets. The police officers are advising them not to loiter on roads past midnight,” added DCP.

Over the last week the police personnel have been chasing away youngsters loitering unnecessarily. In Shalibanda police station limits the police officers were amused when they got the same reply from around half a dozen people. Every other person they caught in the lane told them that they were on their way to buy medicine.

Hyderabad Police Commissioner, CV Anand recently visited the City Security Wing and City Armed Reserve units at the Goshamahal and reviewed the security aspects and deployment readiness of the police personnel.

He reviewed the functioning of the various wings, including the CSW, Home Guards, Mounted Police Units and Dog Squads.

Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi said “On September 28, the two festivals Milad-un-Nabi and Ganesh Immersion, I appeal to the citizens of Hyderabad and Telangana to maintain peace and harmony during festivals”.