‘Criminals’ to be freed, pose a threat to police
PD Act allows history-sheeters to be released in a year
By : Pinto Deepak
Update: 2015-10-07 07:06 GMT
Hyderabad: Notorious rowdy sheeters, goondas and bootleggers are to be released from prison within a short span, following completion of their one-year jail term under the PD Act. “They are legally eligible to get release from prisons upon completion of one year,” police said, adding a close vigil would be kept on them after release. The rowdy sheeters, on their part, are in an upbeat mood, and are openly challenging cops that they are waiting to show off their “strengths”.
Hyderabad police started invoking PD Act against notorious criminals from September, 2014. From October 2014 on, criminals including rowdy sheeters, land grabbers, chain snatchers, goondas and bootleggers were detained under various provisions of the act. PD Act allows such elements to be imprisoned for a minimum period of three months to a maximum of one year. Since October 2014 to October 6 2015, as many as 196 persons were detained under this act under various police stations in Hyderabad. These include 42 rowdy sheeters and 46 chain snatchers, apart from those involved in other offences.
Tens of the criminals are to be released upon completion of their one-year periods, and they will be freely moving around the city. However, police say they will be closely watched. “If they get involved in new cases, we can renew the PD Act and detain them,” said South Zone DCP V Satyanarayana. One of the rowdysheeters said that were just waiting to show off their strengths. Fears are that they might gang up and create some disturbance. The city police, cops say, are now on a high alert especially in view of the series of chain-snatching incidents. Officers at the police station level also are prepared to handle any such issues, said Joint Commissioner of Police, Special Branch, Y. Nagi Reddy.