A potential stampede was averted through swift and firm action after celebrations over Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s maiden IPL title turned unruly near the state Secretariat on the night of June 3, said the Hyderabad police on Thursday.
While fans across Hyderabad took to the streets to celebrate RCB’s win, chaotic scenes emerged at certain locations – particularly near the Secretariat – prompting police to rush additional forces. Mild force was used to disperse revellers who were behaving in a disorderly manner, police said.In the RCB’s IPL victory celebrations over 20,000 people gathered from Secretariat road to IMAX circle which led to a massive traffic jam. Ambulances were stuck and the public faced inconvenience. But the Hyderabad City Police responded swiftly & firmly, and averted a potential stampede situation and safeguarded many lives. The Telangana State Police and Hyderabad City Police remain committed to ensuring public safety at all times,” the Hyderabad City Police said in a post on ‘X’ on Thursday.In a post on ‘X’, Hyderabad Police Commissioner C V Anand said, “Watching and hearing about the stampede in Bangalore made me wonder where we are going ! This is not a national team winning the World Cup ! It’s a mere franchise called RCB which works on commercial lines and does not have a single Hyderabad player in it !? It’s not even a # Hyderabad-based team!”
He said hordes of youngsters and revellers descended on Tank bund, NTR marg and Necklace road (near Secretariat) and behaved in an unruly manner due to which traffic got jammed in all directions. He said seeing the situation and the hooliganism, extra forces were rushed and a lathi charge was done to disperse the unruly crowd.
“From a police officer’s perspective, this unannounced celebrations on the streets by large gatherings are a big danger to public safety and may lead to exactly what we saw in Bengaluru. What if there were some deaths in Hyderabad too ? Can anyone expect celebrations for RCB in Hyderabad city ! But with the social media playing a huge role across the country and the globe , perhaps police has to be alert for everyone and everything in future ! Is it humanely possible to do so – is what I am wondering,” Anand said.