Hyderabad: Security of tourists and visitors has become a major concern near Charminar and surrounding areas with an increasing number of drug abusers on the prowl. The miscreants, mostly juveniles and youngsters addicted to substances like whitener and marijuana, create nuisance at busy market places and isolated areas alike.
The attack on the DRDO official was the second major incident to take place near the historic monument recently and pressure is mounting on the South Zone police to conduct a special drive to round up the miscreants.
Top police officials say that measures have been initiated to clean up the area. In an earlier incident, a pregnant woman and her husband were brutally attacked by a group of intoxicated youngsters on the banks of Musi River, less than two km from Charminar.
A woman tourist was also allegedly stalked by a drug abuser few months back in the same area. Though South Zone police had conducted drives here and counseled many young drug abusers after rounding them up with the help of an NGO in July last year, there has been no follow up till now.
Since whitener is widely available in the market cheaply, the miscreants have easy access to it and get addicted. The police is helpless as it cannot curb the sale of whiteners in the city since its a necessary commodity.
“We won’t be able to ban whiteners from market since many people use it,” said South Zone DCP, S. Tripathi. The problem is that when these addicts do not have money to buy intoxicants, they turn to stealing and robbing. “In the case of the DRDO employee attack, the juvenile is not a usual thief. He became a pickpocket to earn some money to buy whitener,” said South Zone additional DCP, K. Babu Rao.
Sources say that there are a few specific areas around Charminar, where the miscreants spend most of their time after inhaling whitener and smoking ganja. The police has to identify these areas and round up the offenders.
South Zone top cops meanwhile say that they are starting a special drive in order to clean up the area. “Safety of people is our major concern. We are starting a special drive to pick up these street drug abusers,” added Mr Tripathi.
