Security shored up in Hyderabad for twin festivals

Hyderabad: With the two important festivals Ganesh and Milad-un-Nabi coinciding for the second consecutive year, city police have been put on high alert. The police have beefed up security to ensure a smooth celebration of both festivals. Police personnel from the department also started holding meetings with organisers of both communities on facilities and restrictions to ensure no communal tension prevails in the city and also keep an eye on trouble-mongers.

Hyderabad City police commissioner Kothakota Sreenivasa Reddy held an interaction with all officers including DCPs, ACPs, Inspectors, Sub-Inspectors of both Law & Order and Traffic Police and asked them to be prepared for the peaceful conduct of both festivals. The police chief has instructed the officers to maintain a tight vigil in their jurisdictions till the festivals conclude peacefully.

Additionally, the commissioner sought the cooperation of the peace committee members to maintain the city’s peaceful atmosphere and successful completion of festivals.

The dates for Ganesh festivities, one of the big festivals, and Milad-un-Nabi, celebrated in a grand manner among Muslims, have collided. Ganesh Chaturthi will be observed on September 7, and the Ganesh immersion will be held on September 17. The Islamic month Rabi-ul-Awwal, which is the birth month of Prophet Mohammed, commences on September 5, and Eid-e-Milad-un-Nabi to be observed on September 16.

Hyderabad, which is well-known for its ‘Ganga-Jamuna Tehzeeb’, the mutual respect and the unity between Muslims and non-Muslims, enduring the Hyderabad’s Tehzeeb, the Muslim community announced to celebrate the Milad indoors on September 16 and decided to hold the Milad procession on September 19 in a gesture aimed at fostering communal harmony.

The DCP of the respective zones has been conducting meetings with organisers of both communities to address security measures for both festivals and to find solutions for the challenges faced by the organisers. The police officers advised that CCTV cameras be installed in the mandaps, even if it is on a temporary basis, until the end of the festival.

Moreover, police urged the committee members to cooperate and appealed to the devotees to celebrate the festival peacefully and grandly.

South zone DCP Sneha Mehra led a coordination meeting with the Bhagyanagar Ganesh Utsav Committee, zonal officials, and Ganesh Utsav organisers in various areas in the Old City.

Similarly, with regard to the precautionary, safety, and security measures, DCP central zone, Akshansh Yadav is holding meetings with pandal organisers. North zone DCP Rashmi Perumal, South-West zone DCP G Chandra Mohan are also holding meetings with the organisers of both the communities. Moreover, police also conducted counselling to the rowdy sheeters.

In Old City, Sneha Mehra advised the organisers that volunteers must be present at the Ganesh mandapam throughout the day. At least three volunteers should be present during the night. She also suggested that the organisers make arrangements for queues in the mandaps, keeping in view the visits of devotees.

The Bhagyanagar Ganesh Utsav Samithi asserted that 1.4 lakh Ganesh idols will be installed in the city this year. Moreover, the members of the Markazi Milad Juloos Committee sought permission from the Hyderabad City Police Commissioner, Kothakota Sreenivasa Reddy to carry out the Milad Procession on September 19.