Hyderabad Police gear up for GHMC polls

Hyderabad Police is vigilant against any attempt by any person/group at spreading unrest in the city during the GHMC elections and take stringent action against mischief mongers. 

Hyderabad Police Commissioner Anjani Kumar on Sunday said the police were all geared up to ensure incident-free polling on the December 1 in the city and adequate arrangements have been made for the people to exercise their franchise.

“Our social media teams are monitoring the SM platforms round-the-clock and any post likely to spread unrest is being removed and legal action process is being initiated against those uploading it,” he said. The social media team of the city police is working 24/7 and is supported by the IT cell of the Hyderabad police. “Apart from the social media monitoring teams, our closed camera surveillance teams are monitoring the happenings around the city from different police stations and command and control center,” said Anjani Kumar.

The police have identified some persons with communal background and are keeping a close watch on them. Shadow teams have also been formed to keep a tab on the candidates with communal background. Teams of policemen will also act as spotters and position themselves in



different places to record any untoward incident or suspicious activity using mobile phones.

The Commissioner said the State Election Commissioner issued separate guidelines for the movement of the contesting candidates and their agents. “No person will be allowed to move around in groups in violation of the prohibitory orders imposed in the city. Also vehicles plying without passes will be intercepted and seized,” he warned. 

The city police clarified that transporting voters in groups to polling station in private vehicles was prohibited and such vehicles would be seized by the police and legal action will be initiated.

Anjani Kumar, briefing the media about poll arrangements, said that around 22, 000 policemen would be deployed for the GHMC election bandobast on Tuesday. The polling stations have been classified as hypersensitive, sensitive, critical and regular. 

Depending upon the requirement a combination of armed and unarmed police personnel would be deployed to ensure peaceful polling. “Also armed pickets are posted at several sensitive places and will be assisted by special crowd control units if necessary,” he said.