Hyderabad, Sep 17 (IANS) Hyderabad police, along with the Rapid Action Force (RAF), on Thursday conducted a flag march in some sensitive areas of the city in view of the ongoing Ganesh festival and the idol immersion procession, scheduled on September 25.
With a view to maintaining peace, communal harmony, public safety and smooth regulation of traffic, the Flag March, led by Deputy Commissioner of Police, Golconda Zone, J. Raghavendar Reddy, was conducted in the sensitive and important areas falling under Goshamahal and Begum Bazar Police Stations.
The staff of Goshamahal and Begum Bazar Police Stations and personnel of the RAF participated in the Flag March, which commenced from Nampally Exhibition Grounds and proceeded through Patel Nagar, Darussalam, Chaknawadi, Lambigally, Ghode Ki Khabar, Jhinsi Chowraha, and Jummerath Bazar T-Junction.
Goshamahal Police Station Inspector B. Sravan Kumar said the march covered various densely populated, sensitive and procession routes to create awareness among the public regarding the importance of maintaining peace, communal harmony and law and order during the Ganesh Festival and immersion processions.
The presence of senior police officers, local police personnel, and RAF personnel during the Flag March demonstrated the preparedness of the police department to ensure the safe and peaceful conduct of the festival, while maintaining effective security arrangements throughout the festival period, he said.
The Flag March also served as a message to the public, particularly the organisers of Ganesh pandals and procession participants, to strictly adhere to the conditions and instructions issued by the Police Department, cooperate with police personnel, follow the prescribed procession routes and timings, and ensure that no activity causes inconvenience to the general public, obstruction to traffic, or disturbance to communal harmony.
The police appealed to all citizens, religious organisations, Ganesh Utsav committees and procession organisers to celebrate the festival in a peaceful, disciplined and responsible manner. The public is requested to cooperate with the police and immediately bring any suspicious activity, rumours or law-and-order issues to the notice of the nearest police personnel or police station.
Around 20,000 police personnel will be deployed across Hyderabad for the Ganesh idol immersion procession.
Hyderabad Police Commissioner V.C. Sajjanar, along with senior officials from the police, Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC), Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Protection Agency (HYDRAA) and other departments on Tuesday conducted a joint inspection of the 19-km route from Balapur to Tank Bund on Tuesday to ensure smooth and safe movement of idols.
The police have advised the public not to believe or circulate unverified information, rumours, or provocative content on social media, and to rely only on official information issued by the Police Department and other competent authorities.
–IANS
ms/vd
