HYDERABAD: As the deadline nears for the Srikrishna Committee to submit its report on the contentious issue of division of the state, authorities have gone into an overdrive to handle any unrest.
While the state government has sought from the Centre 50 companies of paramilitary forces specifically for Hyderabad and its surroundings, the APSRTC management has begun installing iron grills on 500 of its buses to protect its drivers and passengers from stone pelters. The government has also initiated surveillance on key student leaders by Special Branch and Intelligence sleuths.
The state's request for 50 companies (each company has 100 personnel) is based on its assessment of the number of hot spots. These include Osmania University, Nizam and Saifabad Colleges, Secretariat, Assembly, DGP's office and premises of prominent advocates of united AP. In the preliminary security review meet held a few days ago, it was decided that about 17 companies of paramilitary forces would be deployed at the main troublespot - OU; seven in the central zone which includes Nizam and Saifabad colleges, Secretariat, Assembly and DGP's office; 2 in west zone; 5 in Cyberabad and the rest to be utilised as per the requirement.
"We have made request with the centre for 50 companies. They may not give us what we asked for but at least 35 companies at the minimum would be required," said an official.
Meanwhile, APSRTC, which suffered losses worth crores of rupees in the agitations, is also planning to give it's buses an armour against stones. Headed by former city police commissioner B Prasada Rao, APSRTC officials have adopted a police method and armed the buses' windshields and side windows with iron grills.
OU students under surveillance
According to APSRTC ED (Greater Hyderabad) G Jaya Rao, they have already made 500 iron grills and distributed them to 24 bus depots. "The grills will be fixed on buses operating in vulnerable areas," the ED said.
Osmania University, the usual trouble spot, is also facing the heat from an alert government. Special Branch and Intelligence sleuths are keeping an eye on student leaders of the OU-TSJAC. Following protests, the university authorities had put off most of the exams scheduled for Saturday.
However, the remaining exams are scheduled to be held under unprecedented security. While the authorities are apprehensive that the students would agitate and get the other exams too postponed, cops were wary that insistence on the part of the OU might precipitate violence expected after December 31. The exams are being held at 20 centres. Read More on TOI
