Hyderabad: 26 December Posted on 7:42 PM IST
With New Year’s Eve approaching, the Hyderabad City Police have announced a stringent “Zero Drugs Policy” to ensure safe and drug-free celebrations across the city. The decision was announced by Hyderabad Police Commissioner V.C. Sajjanar during a high-level coordination meeting held on Friday.
The meeting took place at the Integrated Command and Control Centre (ICCC) in Banjara Hills, where the Commissioner directed senior officials and field officers to maintain strict vigilance throughout the festive period. He stressed that preventing drug-related incidents during New Year celebrations is a top priority for the city police.
As part of the multi-layered security strategy, specialised units including the Hyderabad Narcotics Enforcement Wing (H-NEW), Task Force, Special Branch, and local police teams have been deployed across the city. Special surveillance teams have been stationed at pubs, hotels, restaurants, and event venues with immediate effect.
Police have been instructed to closely monitor individuals who were previously involved in drug-related offences over the last two years. A comprehensive database of known drug peddlers and consumers is being prepared, while the movement of individuals entering the city for New Year festivities will also be tracked.
The crackdown will extend beyond public venues. Police teams will monitor private gatherings at service apartments and hostels to prevent any illicit activities. In addition, a mandatory closing time of 1:00 AM has been imposed on all New Year celebrations at pubs, hotels, and restaurants.
The Commissioner warned that strict action would be taken against violators, including immediate cancellation of licenses for establishments found engaging in illegal activities. To manage crowds, security arrangements have been intensified at key locations such as Maitrivanam, Necklace Road, Tank Bund, and KBR Park with fortified check-posts and barricades.
While security will be tight, the Commissioner assured that efforts would be made to ensure the general public is not inconvenienced. He emphasized that police personnel should act as facilitators to ensure peaceful celebrations.
“Our goal is that not a single drug case should be reported in Hyderabad during the New Year celebrations,” the Commissioner said, calling on all officers to work in coordination to uphold the prestige of the Hyderabad City Police.
Mohammed Naseer Giyas is a multi-media and bilingual journalist with over 20 years of experience across print, digital, and television media. Founder of Raftaar-e-Deccan, he is an alumnus of IVLP, Thomson Reuters Foundation, and ICFJ, and has worked with leading English and Urdu news organisations.
