Ministers lobby for Inspector postings

Two ministers, who have locked horns with top brass of state police over transfer and posting of inspectors in the state capital, are learnt to have finally had their way in having men of their choice posted at places of their choice. Hyderabad police commissioner Anurag Sharma is understood to have short-listed a few names of inspectors and is likely to issue posting orders shortly. According to sources, Sharma held a meeting with his subordinates after which the names of at least 10 inspectors have been finalised. The bone of contention between the ministers and the police officials were the Jubilee Hills, Banjara Hills, Afzalgunj and Sanjeeva Reddy Nagar police stations. While the ministers accuse police officials of not keeping them informed of postings, police officials maintain that posting of mere inspectors should not be bothering ministers. While some inspectors are moving heaven and earth to get themselves posted at the Banjara Hills police station and the two ministers are backing their favourites. Though senior officers had finalised the postings for the Banjara Hills and Afzalgunj police stations, the same were stalled by a minister who even shot off a letter to the DGP and even met the chief minister with his complaint. The minister in question, who left for London on a one-month private tour, has sent a list of names of the men of his choice for posting at Banjara Hills, Jubilee Hills, SR Nagar and Afzalgunj police stations . When Sharma was in-charge police commissioner, he issued orders on May 3 transferring 14 inspectors. Among them, 12 have taken charge of their respective stations while those posted  at Banjara Hills and Afzalgunj could not due to intervention of ministers. ‘’Some inspectors are calling up ministers and requesting them to propose their names for a particular police station. Once the orders are issued, we will know whether the word of the minister has prevailed or not,’’ said an inspector.

By Mouli Mareedu
moulimareedu@gmail.com

‘Why gun licence for Rahman?’

A day after YSRCP minority cell convener  H A Rahman opened fire in air with his licensed .32 revolver, the Banjara Hills police on Saturday wrote a letter to the Hyderabad police commissioner Anurag Sharma suggesting cancellation of his weapon's. Sources told Express that the police officials present when Rahman opened fire yesterday viewed the matter seriously saying it was clear case of misuse of weapon. Rahman had opened five rounds of fire in air  as part of victory celebrations of YSRCP in the byelections on Friday. Banjara Hills Police wrote a two-page letter to the police commissioner mentioning all details about the previous criminal cases involving Rahman. In the letter, police stated that Rahman had misused a weapon by opening fire into air. Soon after the incident on Friday, the police seized .32 revolver from him. Meanwhile, sources said that Rahman has two more weapons -- a .32 and the double barrel breach loading (DBBL) gun. Rahman obtained license for both the weapons. ‘‘Rahman is not a public representative. He has no threat from anyone. Why should he have a license in the first place ?  He is misusing the weapon, '' a police official said. Police also have info  that Rahman had reportedly threatened few realtors during land settlements . HA Rahman perhaps thought, that he would give a ‘gun salute’ in honour of ‘Anna’ who swept the byelections on Friday. But his act, which was approved by many surrounding him, did not go down well with the men in khaki. On June 15, celebrating YSR Congress party’s thumping win in the byelections led the party’s minority cell convener Rahman to open five rounds of fire in the air with his revolver, all as part of celebrations. Minutes later, he was arrested and sent to judicial remand while Rahman’s act -- something quite common in Samajwadi party ruled Uttar Pradesh -- left the YSR Congress party embarassed.Soon after arresting Rahman, the police seized his 32 revolver sent him to judicial remand. According to police, during the victory celebrations, a few workers started shaking their legs amidst drum sounds at the party office on Friday. As the celebrations reached its peak, an over enthusiastic Rahman took out his revolver and opened five rounds of fire in the air amid cheering from his workers. Banjara Hills ACP E Shanker Reddy who rushed to the spot took Rahman into custody. The party workers, however, resisted the police and the policemen had a tough time in controlling them. Later, he was shifted to Jubilee Hills police station. Police booked a case against Rahman under 27 Arms Act.  He was produced before the court and sent to judicial remand for 14 days. However, Rahman claimed that, when he was taking out the revolver from his pocket it got misfired. Meanwhile, an embarrassed YSR Congress party slapped a show-cause notice on Rahman for his disorderly behaviour on the party office premises. “We have issued a showcause notice to Rahman and asked him to reply as to why action should not be taken for the way he conducted himself at the party office,” party general secretary Bajireddy Goverdhan said.

Mouli Mareedu

moulimareedu@gmail.com

Moments that made CBI JD sweat

VV Lakshminarayana, Joint Director, Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Hyderabad.

His mere presence makes wrong-doers sweat. But on Monday it was the turn of CBI joint director VV Lakshminarayana to sweat, albeit  for a different reason. In what would have been a nightmarish experience for him, Lakshminarayana and a few others faced tense moments after the lift in which they were moving got stuck in the Nampally Criminal Court complex. The JD, who strictly follows time and does not believe in wasting even a moment without a reason,  was forced to spend 10 minutes of his valuable time in the elevator. Around 1.25 pm, after finishing the arguments in the Jagan case, Lakshminarayana, CBI deputy legal advisor B Ravindranath, additional solicitor- general of India Ashok Bhan, a woman advocate and four securitymen were going down in the lift from the third floor of the court building to get back to their office. As they were engrossed in a discussion, the lift suddenly got stuck and came to a stop between the first and ground floors. The investigating and legal luminaries thought initially that power supply had snapped but later learnt that there was no disruption of power supply.Even as the policemen escorting Lakshminarayana pressed the emergency alarm button inside the lift, no one heard or bothered about it. ‘’They spent more than 10 minutes inside the lift. Though the fan in the lift was working, they appeared tense for some moments,’’ an eyewitness told Express.With no help coming their way, the securitymen forcibly opened the door and jumped out. They quickly brought a chair from the court’s administrative office and helped Lakshminarayana, Ashok Bhan, Ravindranath and the advocate descend from the lift one by one. It is learnt that the lift came to an abrupt halt because it was overloaded. The lift’s capacity is eight but it was carrying ten persons at that time. It was not the first time that the two lifts in the court got malfunctioned. Earlier, when mediapersons were boarding a lift, it got stuck in the middle due to power cuts. The other also got stuck due to heavier. On that occasion too mediapersons had forcibly opened the doors and jumped out to safety. 

By Mouli Mareedu

moulimareedu@gmail.com

3 CCTV cameras to track mob at court on Monday

Police have installed three closed-circuit television cameras at three places in front of the Nampally criminal courts complex here to keep an eye on the crowd that might gather on Monday when YSR Congress Party chief YS Jaganmohan Reddy will appear in the special CBI court in connection with his illegal assets case.The CCTV cameras are connected to a control room where police will watch the footage recorded by the cameras and sent to the control room. Two cameras were positioned one each in front of the two main gates and the third at a middle point opposite the court building.“A few senior police officials, sitting in the control room, will monitor the situation at the court by watching the video footage on the TV screens. If any untoward incident takes place, the police can identify the culprits with the help of the video footage and nab them,’’ a senior police officer said.Hyderabad city police commissioner Anurag Sharma on Saturday issued orders prohibiting holding of any public meeting,  assembly of five or more persons, carrying of firearms, banners, placards, lathis, spears, swords, sticks, brickbats etc.,  shouting of slogan, making of speeches etc., processions and demonstrations; and picketing or dharnas in any public place within the area without a written permission. This order shall come into force with effect from 6 am on May 27 and shall remain in force for a period of two months till 6 am on July 26 (both the days inclusive) unless withdrawn earlier.The areas covered are from Taj Island Crossroads via Ek Minar Mosque to Bazar Ghat Crossroads; Bazar Ghat Crossroads to Ayodhya Hotel Crossroad  via Niloufer Hospital; From Nampally station goods shed to court; Lakdikapul Junction to Criminal Court building via Red Hills and FAPCI building. Religious functions/rallies, public meets etc. in the specified areas can be held with prior permission from DCPs.

 

by Mouli Mareedu

moulimareedu@gmail.com

Day of security paranoia starts with a kiss

Since his school days, it has been a must for him to take the blessings of his mother before stepping out of his home.  So was the case even today. After his mother, Pulivendula MLA Vijayamma kissed and blessed him while other family members and close friends watched, Kadapa MP YS Jagan Mohan Reddy stepped out of his house, waving to his supporters, who gathered there in large numbers to wish their leader luck while the heavy security cover in and around the Lotus Pond tried to do some crowd control which was indeed. Prior to hitting the road to Dilkusha guest house, Jagan took some suggestions from his confidante V Vijay Sai Reddy, who himself faced several rounds of questioning before being arrested earlier by the CBI. Both were closetted for 45 minutes. Around 10.30 am, as Jagan's vehicle came out from his house, tension gripped as his supporters, who were awaiting outside, rounded up his vehicle shouting Jai Jagan.. Jai Jai Jagan. Amidst his supporters, Jagan's convoy passed through to Road No: 12, Banjara Hills towards Raj Bhavan Road where Dilkusha Guest house is located. As the convoy reached to MLA Querters, police led by Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Akun Sabharwal detained some of vehicles that part of Jagan's convoy. Akun Sabharwal also directed the police to stop media vehicles not to follow Jagan's convoy. Jagan's convoy escorted by Task Force police passed through Road No: 12 via Pension office, Taj Kirshna, IIPM  and reached Khairtabad junction. Police forces including rapid action forces stopped all vehicles of Jagan at the junction while allowing only two vehicles in which Jagan and Sabbam Hari were travelling.

SECURITY LIKE NEVER BEFORE: With blocking one of the city's key road and section 144 in place followed by heavy police bandobust, Hyderabadis were left cursing wondering why the Hyderabad city police had turned paranoid for mere questioning of an MP. ''It appears as if a US President was to visit the Raj Bhavan road. It was sheer stupidity. I have never come across such a situation wherein for mere questioning, section 144 was imposed and such a massive bandobust was made,'' Amarnath Chowdary, a businessman, told Express. Terming it as a precautionary measure, police closed the stretch of Khairatabad junction - Raj Bhavan between 8.30 am and 7 pm. The Police, however, set up three layer security arrangements on the stretch  to prevent untoward incidents with Jagan appearing before the CBI's office-- Dilkusha Guest House that is located near Raj Bhavan. The entire Raj Bhavan road stretch appeared like a curfew-bound zone with only policemen being seen all over. Leave along the aam-admi, even police officers who just happened to pass by faced the heat. V B Kamalasan Reddy, Superintendent of Police (SP), Intelligence and Assistant  Deputy Commissioner of Police R Ravinder Reddy when police stopped their vehicles at the Raj Bhavan road. While DCP Srikanth, who posted at the Raj Bhavan, directing police to allow Ravinder Reddy towards to Dilkusha Guest House, Kamalasan Reddy opened his car door and introduced the police he is a SP of Intelligence and he was allowed. Police also stopped a vehicle in which a High Court Judge and his wife were travelling at the Raj Bhavan road. When the driver of the vehicle stated that it was a High Court Judge vehicle, police allowed it towards to Sagar Apartments. DCP Srikanth and K Ramachandran, Additional DCP did not allowed mediamen to Dilkusha Guest house even they showed their ID cards. After grilling more than seven hours between 11 am and 6 pm, Jagan came out from the Dilkusha and passed through his vehicle to his Palatial house, Lotus pond.

BUSES BURNT: Meanwhile, barring a few stray incidents of suicide threats, setting ablaze to four RTC buses, the city was peaceful today. A few persons, said to be supporters of Jagan, were took into custody by Punjagutta police when they shouted slogan Jai Jagan... Jai Jai Jagan at Somajiguda. A few unidentified persons also set fire to four RTC buses in LB Nagar, NGO's colony, Dilkushnagar and Meerpet police station limits in support of Jagan. Police said the buses were damaged partially when a few unidentified persons set ablaze the vehicles. It is also reported a few unidentified persons attacked on Heritage Food store located in Punjagutta police station limits. In the attack, the store was damaged partially. In another incident, as many as four women climbed a building, which is under construction, and threatened to attempt suicide by jumping from the building in support of Jagan in Chaitanyapuri police station limits. Police said that four women, said to be women wing workers of YSR Congress party, climbed the building and threatened to jump from the building. A few minutes later, they were came down. Police booked cases against them under section 309 (attempt to commit suicide) IPC.

By Mouli Mareedu

moulimareedu@gmail.com

Are Volvo buses deathtraps?

Fire Service staff putting off flames that broke out from the Volvo Bus in a fire mishap in running bus at Khaitlapur village in Chottupal on National Highway No 9-- Suresh Kumar

A private travel volvo bus gutted in a fire mishap after ramming into a tipper on national highway no 9-- Suresh Kumar

TV Film Kept Them Awake, Saved Them:

It was a nightmare for the passengers travelling on the private Volvo bus that gutted completely in a fire after hitting a tipper near Choutuppal a little after midnight on Sunday. Most of the passengers were awake watching a Telugu film on the TV and it helped them escape in time. ``After distributing water bottles to all the passengers, I returned to the cabin and had a brief conversation with the driver, Veera Srinivas. As the movie was coming to an end, I went back to the passengers to know if they wanted anything. Suddenly, there was a loud sound and the passengers first thought it was tyre burst. Later, we found that the bus had hit a tipper from behind,'' recalled Chinni, the bus cleaner. Chinni broke the windowpanes and saved as many as ten lives. ``Soon after the accident took place, a major fire broke out from the front portion. As we were unable to exit from the front cabin, we broke open the windowpanes with luggage bags and jumped out,'' he said. Chinni, along with 15 passengers who received minor injuries, was admitted to the Government Hospital at Chouttupal in Nalgonda district. After they had jumped out, he said, they started searching for the driver. ``Initially I thought the driver too jumped out through the window but he was, along with a passenger, charred to death,'' Chinni said. Most of the Volvo buses, which have airconditioning facility, catch fire due to short-circuit. Besides,  the buses have the engine at the rear and a delicate chassis. There were several possibilities for eruption of fire like disturbances at the exhaust man-pole located near the silencer, leakages from the fuel tank or short-circuit in the engine.  ``When a Volvo bus meets with an accident, the damage to the vehicle can be immense and the risk to the life of passengers high. In the latest accident involving a Volvo bus of a private travel company, we suspect that the fire broke out due to short-circuit soon after the bus rammed the tipper,'' said Chandrasekhar, chief mechanical engineer (operations) of the AP State Road Transport Corporation. He recalled an accident involving an RTC bus a year ago in a district close to the city. An investigation conducted by senior officials revealed that the driver had lost his control over the steering and hit a water pipe that was constructed at the point of a curve. The bus hit the pipe and caught fire due to the damage caused to the fuel tank. As soon as the accident took place, sparks erupted and fire broke out. Luckily, there were no casualties then, he said and suspected that improper maintenance of the bus might have caused the fire. The driver should inspect the bus before he taking it out. ``We have to check all key points of the bus. We can find out the exact reason for the mishap only when we visit the spot and examine the scene of accident,'' he added. The private Volvo bus that caught fire after ramming a tipper from behind near Choutuppal on Sunday midnight was going at a top speed of 180 km per hour when it met with the accident on NH-9, police said.``The accident took place when the driver tried to chase another vehicle at a high speed to overtake it. Unfortunately hit a tipper ahead of it. The bus driver lost his control over the steering while he was overtaking another vehicle. He failed to notice a tipper which was going slowly ahead and rammed it,'' said Bhongir deputy superintendent of police M Yadaiah. Two persons _ driver Veera Srinivas, a resident of Pulletikurru village in Ambajipet mandal in East Godavari district, and passenger Oruganti Sarada, a resident of Vatluru at Eluru _ were charred to death. As many as 15 passengers received minor injuries and were admitted to the government hospital at Chottuppal, Osmania General Hospital and a private hospital in Hyderabad. The bus, belonging to Anjani Travels, was going from Hyderabad to Amalapuram. Some mishaps in Recent Past --  * March 13, 2012: Fire broke out from the engine of a running Aero Express bus at Kishanguda, near Shamshabad. * April 27, 2011: An Aero Express bus plying between Shamshabad and Begumpet caught fire near Satamrai. In this incident too, fire erupted from the engine and * April 19, 2011: An RTC Metro Express carrying 40 passengers caught fire at Lakdikapul.

By Mouli Mareedu
moulimareedu@gmail.com

4-hour flurry of activity in curfew-bound areas

A policeman helping a vendor at Madannapet Mandi Market during curfew relaxation in Hyderabad-- Photo by A Suresh Kumar

It was around 12.30 pm, Wednesday and 55-year-old Yadamma was hurriedly buying her things - vegetables, rice and provisions - at the Madannapet market. It was not just Yadamma, but the market was jampacked with hundreds of people like her who rushed through their purchases on the sunny afternoon. The time they had to buy all essentials, enough to last at least a few days, as well as complete all the other work was just four hours.The curfew-clamped Madannapet and Saidabad areas came alive and saw a flurry of activity between 11 am and 3 pm when the prohibitory orders were relaxed. In Yadamma’s case, her husband Sriramulu has been suffering from high fever and she had to take him to a doctor. She had kept him waiting in an autorickshaw outside the market and had just 15 minutes to do all her purchases. In fact, she thought it was a bandh call for Telangana. “Please stop continuous bandh calls, sir. It badly affects our lives. My husband has been running high temperature for the past two days but I was unable to take him out for treatment. Even medical shops were closed in our locality. I could move out only today,” she said talking to Express.The official curfew relaxation time was 11 am, but people started pouring on to the roads from 9.30 am itself.  Business establishments opened their shutters from 10 am. However, not all people were keen on purchases as a good number of residents preferred to shift to their relatives and friends’ homes in other parts of the city. “Ever since the curfew was clamped in our locality, I had to simply sit at home doing nothing. I am temporarily moving to my cousin’s house at Abids. I can attend my office,” said KV Prasad, a private employee and a resident of Vikasnagar of Madannapet.

2.15 pm: Scene Changes: As the curfew relaxation period neared its end, there was a total change of scenario. A fleet of police vehicles started patrolling the roads with microphone-wielding police officials announcing loudly that the shops and establishments should down their shutters as curfew would start again. The announcement triggered a heightened activity once again, which slowly died down leading once again to an eery silence and deserted roads.The Task Force police and the APSP personnel led by deputy commissioner of police (DCP) Manish Kumar Sinha closely monitored the situation during the closing hours of the curfew relaxation period. Around 2.45 pm, they closed the main road that leads to the Chanchalguda prison and Saidabad.Meanwhile, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Central Crime Station (CCS) with the assistance of Moghalpura police detained four persons who were involved in stone throwing, damaging RTC buses and business establishments during the communal violence. The suspects are being interrogated. They are: Dhanraj, a resident of Kurmaguda who was allegedly involved in stone throwing resulting in injuries to one Mohammed Ibrahim Khan at Kurmaguda area; Mohammed Bin Ahmed, a football coach and Syed Nabi, both resident of Sulthanshahi, Moghalpura, who allegedly trespassed into the house of M Jagadamba and attacked her with a stone; and Mohammed Taher alias Lambu, a resident of Kurmaguda, who was involved in stone throwing incidents at Kurmaguada.

By Mouli Mareedu

moulimareedu@gmail.com