In letter to Revanth Reddy, MBT flags ‘chor-police nexus’ in Old City thefts

Hyderabad: Expressing concern over a spate of thefts in the Old City, the Majlis Bachao Tehreek (MBT) has written a letter to Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, Director General of Police (DGP) Shivdhar Reddy and city Police Commissioner VC Sajjanar, demanding a thorough probe into what it called a possible “chor–police nexus” behind the rising incidents.

MBT spokesman Amjed Ullah Khan pointed to at least three major cases registered over the past few months, none of which, he alleged, have seen any significant headway. The most recent incident registered at the Charminar Police Station involves a woman, Shanaz Khadeer of Talabkatta, who lost gold ornaments worth Rs 6.5 lakh while shopping near Gulzar House. 

In another incident near Hafiz Danka Masjid in Moghulpura (Mirchowk Police Station), jeweller Mohammad Siraj allegedly had seven tolas of gold, Rs 60,000 in cash and the keys to his shop lifted from his parked vehicle during afternoon prayers. Earlier, on January 21, a woman from Qazipura in Shalibanda was robbed of seven tolas of gold valued at Rs 7.5 lakh.

“In almost every case, the police give the same stock response – CCTV cameras were either not functioning or the footage was unclear. This is becoming a pattern,” Khan told reporters. “Crores of public money have been spent on surveillance infrastructure. If cameras are non-functional during multiple incidents, something is seriously wrong,” he said.

The MBT leader also alleged that the frequency and sophistication of the thefts strongly suggested an organised gang is operating in the densely populated heritage zone. “Without some form of internal support, such repeated thefts in a high-sensitivity area are hard to explain. The public perception of a chor–police nexus is growing, and the government cannot afford to ignore it,” he said.

Khan also flagged the reputational damage to Hyderabad, noting that Charminar and the adjoining Makkah Masjid are not just religious landmarks but major tourist magnets for domestic and international visitors. “I have travelled across India and abroad, but I have rarely seen such brazen, frequent thefts in prime heritage precincts. This is hurting Hyderabad’s image and spreading fear among residents and tourists alike,” he added.

The MBT has demanded urgent intervention, including the formation of special investigation teams in coordination with the Central Crime Station (CCS) and Task Force (South Zone), a comprehensive audit and upgrade of all closed circuit television (CCTV) systems in the Old City, stringent action against organised theft gangs, and an inquiry into possible lapses or collusion within the enforcement machinery. Enhanced visible policing in theft-prone zones has also been sought.