City cops launch ‘drug-free’ Hyderabad campaign

HYDERABAD: A new police outpost had been set up in the sprawling Borabanda township to monitor, control and eradicate drug menace and to make Hyderabad drug-free, said home minister Mohd. Mahmood Ali. Soon, a police station would also be set up in the area to maintain law and order and to educate and counsel the residents of the area, he added.

Speaking at the launching of a campaign on drug-free Hyderabad on Saturday at the Prof Jayashankar Community Hall, SITE III, Borabanda, the minister said, “Parents are responsible for proper upbringing of their children and inculcating good behaviour and habits to keep them away from addictions. The Hyderabad police have done a wonderful job in busting the drug menace with the cooperation of the narcotics bureau. Films and social media are playing havoc with the young minds who get inspired by watching celebrities and their role models consuming alcohol, drugs and tobacco as an emotional outlet in films. This attracts them to drugs and finally leads to disastrous health issues. Strict patrolling will be maintained and no lenience will be given to anyone indulging in drugs in any manner whatsoever,” said the minister.

Presiding at the event, Hyderabad police commissioner C.V. Anand recalled his tenure at Borabanda area as the additional commissioner, traffic, a few years ago. He said he could see that the area had grown by leaps and bounds. “Parents should not assume that their children are not addicts to any substance. It is difficult for parents to keep an eye on the school and college-going children, once they leave at dawn and return home at dusk. Peer group pressure is also one of the main causes of drug addiction. If they find any abnormal behaviour in their children, thorough counselling and de-addiction have to be done before it is too late. We are keeping a close eye on drug peddlers in the vicinity of schools, colleges, pubs and gardens. A heavy penalty with strict punishment is in store for the peddler and the victims will be counselled after a warning. Repeated offences by the victim will call for punishment. The police are maintaining a close vigil on the borders of Telangana and are confiscating vehicles transporting drugs,” he said.

Speaking on the occasion, Jubilee Hills MLA Maganti Gopinath said earlier the thickly populated area was so notorious that even auto and cab drivers did not enter due to fear from antisocial elements. “We are constantly rounding up such rowdies and counselling them and making them face ground realities. Most of them have reformed themselves and are engaged in spreading the word of drug-free Hyderabad,” Gopinath said.

Baba Fasiuddin, TRS corporator, Borabanda, said apart from highly-educated and elite residents living in one part of the area, Borabanda also had bastis or slums and was home to a lot of unskilled, semiskilled and skilled labour consisting of painters, plumbers, welders, fitters, auto and cab drivers, mechanics, masons, carpenters and house maids. “Their work is monotonous and laborious and for an emotional outlet, they turn to drugs. We are confident that our drug-free Hyderabad programme will reform them and give them a new lease of life,” Fasiuddin said.