Hyderabad Ganesh immersion concludes peacefully; 38,000 police personnel deployed
Hyderabad, Sept 26 (TNT): The 48-hour Ganesh idol immersion procession across Hyderabad concluded peacefully on Saturday without any untoward incidents, with nearly 30 lakh devotees visiting Khairatabad Bada Ganesh and around 15 lakh offering prayers to Balapur Ganesh, Hyderabad City Police Commissioner V.C. Sajjanar said.
Addressing a press conference near the Telangana Secretariat, Sajjanar said elaborate arrangements had been made three months in advance under the directions of Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy to ensure the smooth conduct of the festivities.
He said around 20,000 Hyderabad City Police personnel and over 8,000 personnel from various districts were deployed, along with specialised forces, including Greyhounds, Octopus and Telangana State Special Police (TGSP).
The Commissioner credited the peaceful conduct of the procession to coordinated efforts by the police and various government departments, including GHMC, HYDRAA, Roads and Buildings, the Health and Medical Department and TGSRTC.
He also thanked devotees, media representatives and Ganesh Utsav committees for their cooperation.
Expressing concern over the use of paper shooters during the processions, Sajjanar said paper debris, particularly during rainfall, created slippery road conditions and posed a risk to two-wheeler riders.
The police department would take up the issue with the government to seek a complete ban on paper shooters, he added.
He also urged organisers and the public to exercise greater discipline in disposing of food-distribution waste and to avoid drunk driving and obscene dances.
A debriefing session would be held to review the arrangements and plan for the 2027 Ganesh festival, he said.
Earlier, Sajjanar inspected major procession routes, including M.J. Market, Basheerbagh, Liberty and Tank Bund, on a two-wheeler during the intervening night of Friday and Saturday to assess ground conditions and traffic management.
He later joined on-duty police personnel in a dance to boost their morale after their round-the-clock duties.
Additional Commissioners of Police M. Srinivas and Tafseer Iqbal, Joint Commissioner of Police D. Joel Davis, senior DCPs and other police officials attended the press conference.
TNT TS
