BRS member performs death ritual on Mokila cycling track
The video, posted by Hyderabad’s Bicycle Mayor on platform X, showed a group conducting the tenth-day rituals on the cycling track near Mokila on Wednesday.
Hyderabad: A video allegedly showing a family performing death rituals on the ORR cycling track invited criticism online and led to a police case against a former sarpanch and his family.
The video, posted by Hyderabad’s Bicycle Mayor on platform X, showed a group conducting the tenth-day rituals on the cycling track near Mokila on Wednesday. In his post, he alleged that when questioned, one of the men claimed he was “close to the Chief Minister” and a “local sarpanch,” and threatened those who objected. The video also showed a vehicle number plate, which he said was shared for identification.
Mokila inspector C. Veera Babu told Deccan Chronicle that the incident took place between 11 am and 2 pm, and that a case has been registered based on a complaint filed by the police patrolling staff.
The FIR names Ravinder Goud, his family members, and others present at the spot. Ravinder Goud is a former sarpanch of Mirjaguda village, and associated with the BRS.
Police have booked the accused under Sections 126(1) (prohibition of wrongful obstruction or nuisance in public ways), 324 (causing danger, obstruction or injury in public way), and 351 (criminal intimidation) of the BNS. Notices would be served to the accused on Thursday.
Explaining the reason behind performing rituals on the cycling track, a Mokila police official said, “The offenders told us that before the cycling track was established, there used to be a burial ground just a few metres away and all the rituals were performed over there. Ever since the cycling track was formed, this was the first time they did a funeral ritual here.”
The cycling track, described by the Bicycle Mayor as a “Hyderabad infrastructure gem,” has seen repeated complaints of encroachment, misuse, and unauthorised access since its launch.
Sections of the track were in the past encroached for the storage of construction materials for nearby buildings, specifically in areas designated as future recreational or resting zones. Cycling advocates in the past have flagged the insufficient buffer zone between the cycle track and the main service road, leading to vehicles spilling over onto the track, creating safety hazards for cyclists.
