Prohibitory orders imposed in Hyderabad for one month

Hyderabad (The Uttam Hindu):  Anticipating disturbances by various organisations or parties, Hyderabad Police have imposed prohibitory orders, banning the assembly of five or more persons, processions, and rallies for one month. Police Commissioner C.V. Anand said police had received reliable information that several organisations/parties are trying to create disturbances affecting public peace and order in Hyderabad City, by resorting to dharnas and protests. “Therefore, with a view to maintaining public order, peace, and tranquillity in Hyderabad City, l, C.V. Anand, lPS., Commissioner of Police, Hyderabad City in exercise of the powers vested in me U/s I63 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita 2023 (earlier U/s 144 Cr. PC) do hereby prohibit every kind of gathering of five or more persons, processions, dharnas, rallies or public meetings and prohibit any individual/groups of individuals from making any speeches, gestures or displaying pictures, any symbols, placards, flags and any type of messages of electronic form, etc., which is likely to cause disturbance to the public peace and order in the limits of Hyderabad and Secunderabad,” reads the notification issued by the Commissioner.

However, peaceful dharnas and protests are allowed only at Indira Park, and Dharna Chowk, and any protest anywhere else in Hyderabad and Secunderabad is not permitted. Any person violating the ban orders, especially around the Secretariat and other sensitive places shall be liable for prosecution under appropriate penal provisions. Police officers (including Home Guards and SPOs) on duly, military personnel on duty, bonafide funeral processions, flying squad education department and persons or groups duly exempted by the competent authority will be exempted from the order. This order came into force at 6 p.m. on October 27 and will remain in force till 6 p.m. on November 28.

The prohibitory orders come amid the political heat over ongoing protests by the opposition parties over the planned demolition of houses in the Musi River bed and buffer zone for the Musi Riverfront Development Project and protest by Telangana State Police Force battalion constables and their family members for better service conditions. Wives of the constables had staged a protest in front of the state Secretariat two days ago. The city also witnessed violent protests recently over an act of vandalism at a temple in Secunderabad. There were also protests by opposition BRS and BJP in support of the candidates of the Group-I exam of Telangana State Public Service Commission for postponement of the exam.