“Surprise Raids And Agitations”: Section 144 Imposed In Hyderabad (image-X/hydcitypolice)
The Hyderabad City Police Commissioner issued an order prohibiting public gatherings, protests, and dharnas across the city under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita 2023 (previously known as Section 144) for a month in a bid to maintain public order. Addressing the criticism, city commissioner CV Anand issued a clarification on X, stating that “some other groups of people” are planning surprise raids on the secretariat, the Chief Minister’s residence, the DGP office, Rajbhavan, etc.
He also clarified that the order had nothing to do with Diwali celebrations.
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“We have intelligence about it and this notification is to give legal backing to any police action in arresting such elements or detaining them,” he stated.
This is just to clarify that this notification has nothing to do with the Deepawali festival celebrations. There are some other groups of people who are planning various types of agitations , surprise raids on secretariat , CMs residence , DGP office ,Rajbhavan etc .We have… https://t.co/wnjc1qNuqw
— CV Anand IPS (@CVAnandIPS) October 28, 2024
Effective from 6 pm on October 27 till November 28, the ban has been issued in response to intelligence reports suggesting several organisations and political parties are trying to “create disturbances” affecting public peace and order in the city through protests and dharnas, states the official order.
What is prohibited under the ban?
A gathering of five or more people is prohibited.
Processions, dharnas, rallies, or public meetings are banned.
Any individual or groups of individuals are prohibited from making speeches, gestures, or displaying images, symbols, placards, flags, and any other type of message of electronic form, etc. likely to cause disturbance to public peace.
What Is Allowed, And Who Are Exempt?
The official order, issued by city commissioner CV Anand on October 27, makes an exception for Indira Park Dharna Chowk as the only permitted venue for peaceful protests and dharnas. Any other form of protest in Hyderabad or Secunderabad is not strictly prohibited.
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Police officers, including Home Guards and SPOs on duty, military personnel, bona fide funeral processions, the flying squad education department, and persons or groups duly exempted by competent authority are also exempted from the order.
CP, Hyd city has issued Notification regarding the Prohibition of every kind of gathering of 5 or more persons, processions, dharnas, rallies public meeting in the limits of Hyderabad and Secunderabad. pic.twitter.com/onijgYgJ6w
— Hyderabad City Police (@hydcitypolice) October 27, 2024
