Hyderabad: Eye spy in the sky to track trouble-mongers in city

Hyderabad: Following reports of blatant violation of lockdown regulations and social distancing advisories, the Cyberabad police has taken it seriously and started monitoring the densely populated areas of Hassan Nagar by deploying drones to keep an eye on obstinate people.

It is said that police officials have been scouring the area for the last two days following reports that groups of youth and teenagers are roaming in Hassan Nagar, Mahmood Nagar, Sulaiman Nagar and the surrounding areas, taking the social distancing advisory as granted.

Hassan Nagar, one of the largest slum areas on the outskirts of city, is known for its narrow streets – some so narrow that even a two-wheeler cannot pass through easily. This densely populated area that largely stands over the historic Mir Alam Lake is predominantly a slum-dwelling where most of the inhabitants are daily wage labours, domestic servants, midwives and petty business hawkers. Most of the people sit cheek by jowl with tight grained housing.

As the lockdown forced the businesses to shutter down, the streets and corners burst at the seams with people, especially youngsters, playing in the streets, sitting on chabutras, and indulging in merrymaking dangerously without maintaining any safe distance.

It is said that complaints of altercations and quarrels in inebriated condition were also received from the local people.

Taking cognisance of the reports, the Cyberabad police, largely non-locals, started monitoring the area by deploying drones and making announcements through it to the public not to venture out of the houses during the curfew hours and maintain social distancing.