Hyderabad: In view of the recent surge in incidents of crime in the city, various reports suggest that the Hyderabad police have instructed commercial establishments to shut down their businesses between 10:30 pm and 11 pm daily.
The reports came shortly after chief minister A Revanth Reddy reviewed the state’s law and order situation in response to recent violent crimes.
Recently, a spate of murders took place in the Old City, triggering concern among the residents.
In the most recent incident, Samad, a food court owner residing in Falaknuma, was stabbed to death by a group of armed individuals in Kalapather.
On June 8, another man, Mohd Layeeq from Rajendranagar, was murdered by a group of people at Attapur after a night of partying with friends at a bar and restaurant on Rajendranagar road.
On June 21, a 28-year-old driver named Mohd Zakir Ali was murdered in Achi Reddy Nagar.
Confusion among traders
Meanwhile, confusion prevails among the traders in the city over closing time of the establishments.
The social media is abuzz with reports and posts of the state government directing the shopkeepers to close down their establishments at 10:30 pm in the city.
The traders are confused over the source of the information as no official orders were issued through any notification. “The police did not inform us about the early closure of shops. Anyhow, we close the establishment at 11 pm while hotels run till midnight,” said Zaker Ali, a garment shop owner.
No formal instructions received: Police
When contacted a senior official of the police department said so far, they have not received any formal written instructions from their superiors. “Keeping in mind the prevailing law and order situation, it is better the shops close down early to avoid unnecessary gatherings,” said the officer.
Meanwhile, the police have advised the public not to offer rides to strangers and warned against loitering on city roads late at night. They also warned citizens of the dire consequences if found consuming alcohol in public places.
Citizens were informed to promptly report any criminal activity by calling Dial 100. The public has been asked to cooperate with the police and not break the law.
