Hyderabad: The police is counselling “trouble mongers” in a bid to ensure the peaceful conduct of Ganesh and Bakrid festivals. Trouble mongers are potential trouble makers who try to rake up communal trouble and group fights over small issues.
“In the past only persons against whom suspect sheets were maintained were counselled at police stations. Now we are also calling listed trouble mongers and counselling them. They are not involved in any serious cases but operate in the background to create trouble,” said DCP (south) V. Satyanarayana.
The police maintain a list of trouble mongers at all police stations. The Special Branch also keeps an eye on those who are likely to spark tension by raking up small disputes of a communal nature.
A list of ‘galli goondas’, is also maintained at police stations in which the names of local anti-social elements involved in brawls, petty quarrels and nuisance incidents are recorded.
“We are keeping a close watch on all trouble mongers. If needed they will be taken into preventive custody,” said Mr Satyanarayana. The local crime squads will also keep tabs on the social media accounts of such people, he added.
Begum Bazaar inspector B. Srinivasa Rao said that no sheet was maintained about trouble mongers as they are not directly involved in any crime. “They wait for an opportunity and try to kick up trouble. So we keep them under surveillance and round them up in case their role is established,” the inspector said.
In the past the police concentrated only on history sheeters and communal rowdies and asked them to present themselves at the police station on occasions which can lead to communal skirmishes.
