Prohibitory orders in Hyderabad ahead of shutdown, protests

HYDERABAD - Police in Hyderabad Tuesday tightened security and imposed prohibitory orders in view of the Telangana shutdown called by all-party Joint Action Committee demanding statehood to the region.

Security in and around the city has been tightened with the deployment of additional police and paramilitary forces, with special focus on areas with large concentration of people from Andhra region. There have been apprehensions that clashes may break out between them and the proponents of Telangana.

Alarmed over the recent attacks on film shootings in and around the city, police are taking all precautionary measures in sensitive and posh neighbourhoods.

Hyderabad Police Commissioner B. Parasada Rao told reporters Tuesday that 112 platoons of additional forces were deployed in the city. He also announced that prohibitory orders under section 144 of Criminal Procedure Code, banning assembly of five or more persons, would remain in force for a week.

The orders were issued both in view of the shutdown and also ‘chalo Hyderabad’ march and the meeting planned by Joint Action Committee by students of Osmania University Jan 3.

The police commissioner reiterated that there was no permission for the rally at the university and warned that action would be taken against those coming to Hyderabad from other districts for the rally.

The students’ JAC is planning to mobilise half a million students from Hyderabad and nine other districts of Telangana to demand that the centre immediately initiate process for formation of Telangana state out of Andhra Pradesh.

Prasada Rao also warned of strict action against those resorting to violence during the shutdown Wednesday.

Cyberabad police, which covers areas surrounding Hyderabad, have also imposed prohibitory orders. The IT district, pharma companies, several research institutions and key installations fall under the ambit of the Cyberabad police commissionerate.