Police Raid 558 Pan Shops In ‘Operation Safe School’

Sajjanar said police had conducted a decoy operation following complaints from parents and found evidence that shopkeepers were selling tobacco products to children. He announced the appointment of a special officer within the Hyderabad Narcotics Enforcement Wing (H‑NEW) to maintain continuous surveillance at the field level.

The commissioner said the operation involved the Task Force, H‑NEW, reserve police and law and order units. He personally inspected shops near educational institutions in Chirag Ali Lane, Red Hills, Mehdipatnam, Mallepally and Goshamahal. He directed officials to register cases against shop owners selling cigarettes and tobacco products in violation of regulations around campuses.

Speaking to the media at MJ Bridge in Goshamahal, Sajjanar warned of a “mailed fist” policy against those selling tobacco products to minors. He stressed that curbing tobacco sales near schools was not the responsibility of the police alone, and urged educational institution managements and parents to act with social responsibility.

He suggested installing CCTV cameras around educational institutions and monitoring the surroundings from command control centres. He also advised parents to remain vigilant about their children’s behaviour, friends and movements after school hours.

Senior police officers M. Srinivasulu, Tafseer Iqbal, Joel Davis, Swetha and Vaibhav Gaikwad Raghunath participated in the operation.

Sajjanar said consumption of nicotine and tobacco products was often the first step towards drug addiction. The easy availability of tobacco near educational institutions placed students at risk of gradually becoming addicted, he warned, adding that police had initiated stringent measures to break the cycle at the primary stage.

The Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA) 2003 prohibits the sale of tobacco products within 100 yards of educational institutions, while selling tobacco to minors is a punishable offence under the Juvenile Justice Act. Sajjanar said police had monitored the implementation of these laws strictly, conducting simultaneous raids on shops that violated regulations and registering cases.

Jammikunta SI booked for rape following Facebook acquaintance

A sub-inspector of police from the Karimnagar police commissionerate has been booked on charges of rape following a complaint filed at Subedari police station.

The accused, identified as Kadire Srikanth, who is currently serving as SI of Jammikunta in Karimnagar district, was named in the case registered by Subedari police.

According to Subedari inspector Mekala Ranjit Kumar, the accused developed acquaintance with a married woman residing under Subedari police limits through Facebook about a year ago. After gaining her trust, he allegedly visited her residence in May last year and committed the offence. The victim also alleged that he continued to harass her over phone thereafter.

The complaint was lodged by the victim on April 15. Based on her statement, police registered a case under BNS Section 64(2)(m). Police said the accused is absconding and special teams have been formed to trace him.

Officials said investigation is underway.

The accused officer had reportedly assumed charge as SI of Jammikunta 16 days before the case was registered.

Two-year-old boy among three mauled in Peddapalli

Panic gripped Andugulapalli village of Peddapalli mandal after a stray dog attacked and injured three persons, including a two-year-old child, on Saturday.

The victims, identified as Koyyada Odelu, Narayana, and a two-year-old toddler, were shifted to Peddapalli Government Hospital for treatment.

According to sources, the incident occurred when the child was playing in front of his house. The stray dog reportedly attacked the toddler, causing injuries on the shoulder and cheek. Before locals could intervene, the animal allegedly attacked two more villagers in separate incidents.

The injured child’s condition has caused concern among family members, while villagers expressed shock over the incident.

Residents blamed local panchayat and municipal authorities for failing to control stray dog movement despite repeated complaints. They alleged that no steps were taken for sterilisation or vaccination of stray animals.

Locals have urged authorities to take immediate measures to address the issue and ensure public safety in the village.

Traffic jam on NH 65 at Velminedu for a kilometre-long stretch

Traffic on the Vijayawada–Hyderabad stretch of National Highway 65 was disrupted at Velminedu in Nalgonda district on Saturday afternoon, leading to a kilometre-long jam.

According to sources, the disruption occurred after a rice-laden auto-trolley overturned across the road, spilling sacks of grain on the carriageway.

Following the incident, vehicles were stranded for nearly half an hour along the busy highway.

On receiving information, Narketpally police rushed to the spot, removed the overturned vehicle and cleared the scattered rice bags from the road, restoring normal traffic flow.

Cyberabad police crack down on indecent behaviour

Cyberabad She Teams apprehended 36 persons red‑handed for indecent behaviour in public places during 116 decoy operations conducted between April 11 and 17. Police registered petty cases in 34 instances and counselled the remaining offenders. The teams also received 18 complaints from women through various channels. Meanwhile, the Cyberabad Anti‑Human Trafficking Unit (AHTU) rescued one victim and apprehended one accused in a PITA case.

K. Srujana, Cyberabad DCP (Women & Child Safety Wing), said efforts were under way to reunite 41 families involved in marital disputes through counselling and the Centre for Development and Empowerment of Women.

Cyberabad police conducted awareness programmes on human trafficking, eve‑teasing, social media harassment, child marriages, child rights, child labour, stalking, begging, cyber‑bullying and cyber‑frauds across various locations in its jurisdiction, with over 1,846 members participating.

Sessions on women’s safety awareness were also organised by Cyberabad police in collaboration with the SCSC Women Safety Forum at Salesforce and JLL Electronic Arts, Madhapur. During these sessions, police shared practical insights through real‑life safety scenarios and sensitised participants on effective reporting mechanisms during emergencies.

Major fire at appliances unit in Sangareddy

A major fire broke out at an electric appliances unit in Sultanpur village, Ameenpur mandal of Sangareddy district on Saturday.

“We rushed to the scene immediately after receiving information from the fire control room,” said Venkat Nagendra, station fire officer (SFO).

He added, “We gained entrance into the premises and our firefighters acted swiftly using appropriate extinguishing techniques. The blaze was successfully brought under control, preventing further escalation and damage.”

The fire broke out in the early hours and was contained within two hours. “Except for industrial materials such as stators, copper wires, ovens and exhaust systems, no one was injured,” the SFO confirmed.

Nageshwara Rao, supervising officer, Sangareddy district, said: “No casualties were reported. The timely response and coordinated efforts of the team ensured effective containment of the fire.”

Airport noise zone rules amended

The HMDA has stated that rules restricting building activities in the vicinity of airports now include specific provisions for sound resistance. New buildings, facilities and projects — residential, institutional, hospital and commercial — must incorporate sound‑resistant design, construction and material selection to improve the indoor environment under existing building codes and bye‑laws for any construction within airport noise zones.

Authorities have issued an amendment to Rule 3. Exercising powers conferred under relevant provisions of the GHMC Act, HMDA Act, Telangana Municipalities Act, Telangana Urban Areas (Development) Act and other applicable laws, and in partial modification of rules issued in GO Ms. No.168 dated April 7, 2012 and subsequent amendments, the Government has now formally notified the amendment.

Teen dies after petrol attack in Sangareddy

A 16‑year‑old SSC student succumbed to burn injuries at Osmania General Hospital (OGH) at 5 am on Saturday after being set ablaze in Sultanpur, Ameenpur mandal. According to K. Subba Rao, the accused, Shiva Krishna (49), a mason, suspected he victim of having an alleged relationship with his daughter. He procured five litres of petrol, stored it at his house.

In the early hours of April 1, the victim visited the house to meet his friend Uday Charan, Krishna’s son. A heated argument broke out, during which Krishna doused the victim with petrol in an open plot. The petrol caught fire from flames of a stove being used by other masons to prepare food for the journey, Subba Rao said.

An elderly woman, M. Venkatamma, who tried to save the victim, also suffered burns. The victim sustained severe injuries to his face, head, chest and abdomen and was rushed to OGH. During interrogation, Krishna confessed to procuring petrol with the intention of eliminating the victim.

Osmania University Warns Against Fake Job Notifications; Legal Action Initiated

Osmania University issued a warning over fraudulent recruitment advertisements claiming staff hiring in its examination branch, stating that no such notification has been released. The university said the the messages and links were fabricated and aimed at defrauding job seekers. Candidates have been advised not to share personal information or pay any application fees to unauthorised individuals or platforms. The university said such scams are designed to misuse data and money from applicants. Officials also said legal action is being initiated against those behind the fake advertisements. The university said all official recruitment notifications are published only on its official website and urged the public to verify information before responding to any job-related messages.