A video showing Hyderabad police making a stern announcement in the old city has stirred controversy, with the clip quickly going viral. In the footage, a police vehicle can be heard declaring, “11 baje ke baad dikhna ich nahin, agar dikhe toh maar khate, laathicharge kar dete. No friendly police, laathicharge police, thik hai? 11 ke baad, no open.” (Do not even dare to be seen after 11 pm. If you dare, you will be beaten and lathicharged. Police will not be friendly, it will only do lathicharge. Don’t open after 11 pm).
The announcement has drawn sharp reactions, particularly from AIMIM Chief Asaduddin Owaisi, who questioned the rationale behind such stringent measures in Hyderabad. Owaisi directly addressed the Telangana DGP and Commissioner of Police, demanding clarification on why Hyderabad was being treated differently compared to other metro cities where shops are allowed to operate till at least midnight.
While the exact reason for imposing the 11 pm curfew remains unclear, the manner in which the announcement was made has sparked widespread criticism. Many netizens and concerned citizens have expressed dismay over the police’s explicit warning of lathi charges for anyone seen outside after 11 pm.