Telangana Police Redeploy 513 Personnel; Road Safety Gets Priority
Anand clarified that both Greyhounds and OCTOPUS forces have been left with sufficient strength to continue their field operations, maintenance and training.
Hyderabad:With changing circumstances and challenges, the Telangana police is rationalising its manpower to meet the evolving nature of crime and public safety issues. The nature of policing has changed significantly over decades, TG DGP C. V. Anand said during a high‑level meeting with state and district heads on Wednesday.
As part of the restructuring exercise, the government has decided to recruit 513 personnel from specialised units, including Greyhounds, OCTOPUS and SIB, who are being redeployed to eight departments based on operational requirements, Anand said.
Anand clarified that both Greyhounds and OCTOPUS forces have been left with sufficient strength to continue their field operations, maintenance and training.
He emphasised that the largest allocation of 224 personnel has been made to the Traffic Management and Road Safety wing, followed by 80 to Food Adulteration and Drug Control, 79 to Vigilance and Enforcement, 28 to Civil Supplies, 27 to the DGP Office–T‑SPARK, and 25 each to ACB, CID and TGCSB.
The personnel being redeployed comprise five SHOs, 22 SIs, 14 ASIs, 84 HCs and 388 constables, the DGP said.
“The objective is to make the best use of the available police manpower in areas that directly affect the lives and safety of people,” Anand said.
He recounted that the evolution of policing had witnessed intense Left‑Wing Extremist activity during the 1980s and 1990s. The need for a specialised force led to the establishment of a dedicated unit in 1987, which subsequently evolved into Greyhounds and SIB, playing a significant role in containing Maoist activity. Such activity declined substantially after 2017, although it continued in neighbouring states such as Chhattisgarh, Odisha and Jharkhand, the DGP added.
Anand also recalled the 2007 terrorist attacks in Hyderabad, including the incidents at Lumbini Park and the Charminar area, which led to a greater emphasis on specialised counter‑terrorism capabilities and the development of OCTOPUS.
Telangana suffered financial losses of around ₹1,750 crore due to cybercrime last year, the DGP informed.
He said the growing availability and use of NDPS drugs among youth was a serious concern. Drug traces were reportedly detected among 835 students last year, while a study at another university indicated drug exposure among around 70 per cent of its students.
He stressed the need to tackle the entire drug supply chain while simultaneously expanding awareness programmes involving students, parents and educational institutions.
Road safety has been accorded the highest priority in the latest manpower restructuring. Anand said around 8,000 people were killed in road accidents in Telangana last year. The allocation of 224 personnel to Traffic Management and Road Safety was intended to strengthen enforcement as well as accident‑prevention measures.
