Hyderabad: The Cyberabad police launched a cordon-and-search operation similar to urban anti-Naxal operations to “clean up” areas in the city filled with criminals.
Following intelligence inputs, the police have so far identified 12 areas on the outskirts where hundreds of criminals are staying. Officials suspect that these places are vulnerable, and can be infiltrated by terrorists and other extremists.
On Wednesday midnight, 200 policemen including an additional DCP, three ACPs, 20 inspectors, and 150 sub inspectors, conducted a massive search in Suraram Colony, and took 23 suspects, mainly thieves and rowdy history-sheeters, into custody. Cyberabad crime additional DCP Janaki Sharmila said that similar searches will be conducted every 20 days in future to make the city’s outskirts safe.
The operations were launched by police commissioner C.V. Anand as per the directions of the new Telangana government.
“There are many industrial areas in the city, where migrants from Telangana and AP, and from states like UP, Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha etc. have settled. Many come from outside, stay in these cheap areas temporarily, and commit thefts. They leave soon after that giving a tough time to the police. We are now increasing surveillance in these areas,” said Janaki Sharmila.
The Cyberabad police conducted the operation using three layers, a tactic used in urban anti-Naxal search operations. “In this operation, the area would be covered by three layers. They are called outer cordon, inner cordon and cut-off points cordon. No resident of the area can escape this search,” said an official.
He added that the police would also use a digital map of the area to ensure successful deployment of cops.
Officials said that earlier, the police had caught ISI agents, Maoists and major criminals from these areas. In Suraram Colony, where searches were conducted on Tuesday midnight, around 100 people with criminal history were found, officials said. After raiding the area, the police also seized 20 bikes and 10 three-wheelers which were suspected to be stolen.
