Hyderabad: To protect its properties and fixed assets, the Telangana government is planning to use remote referencing and mapping technology in the near future. As a pilot project, this method will be used to map and protect properties of police department and Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TGSRTC).

State planning board vice-chairman G Chinna Reddy, who held a review meeting with Telangana State Remote Sensing Center at Khairtabad, has made this announcement on Saturday, with an intent to protect the government’s properties from being encroached in the near future.

After the pilot project, he said that the remote referencing and mapping technology will be used to protect the properties of endowments department, Waqf and other Telangana government departments.

Chinna said that he has informed GHMC commissioner K Amrapali to use the services of the remote sensing center to gather details and map the government properties under GHMC’s limits, and not to outsource it to any private company.

He also said that the responsibility for geo-tagging the trees planted and being taken care of by the forest department will also be handed over to the remote sensing center.

Expressing his doubts about the increasing extent of cultivation every year, he said that the remote referencing method will be able to accurately record the extent of cultivation in the state.

“In one year the state government says that one crore acres are being irrigated, and the very next year it says one and half crore acres have been brought under cultivation. This raises doubts on the methodology being followed to record the extent of land. Farmers are the most honest people. Therefore, based on the information on the extent of cultivation and the types of crops being produced submitted by the farmers, extent of cultivation data will be ascertained, while comparing it with the remote referencing and mapping,” he added.

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Hyderabad: Majlis Bachao Tahreek (MBT) spokesperson Amjed Ullah Khan has written to Telangana chief minister A Revanth Reddy requesting an appointment from the latter to meet and discuss the issue of the demolition of Masjid-e-Jagirdar in Moinabad. The mosque was demolished on July 22, 2024 by some anti-social elements.

In the letter written on Saturday, August 17, Amjed Ullah Khan said that a delegation of MBT leaders, religious scholars and social activists were shocked to witness such an incident happen in a Congress-ruled state like Telangana.

Giving details of the case filed in Moinabad police station on the mosque demolition, Khan also reminded that Telangana State Waqf Board had also promised that a new masjid would be constructed at the very site where it had stood before its demolition.

Khan expressed his disappointment over no statement being issued by the chief minister on the mosque’s demolition though three weeks have passed since the incident happened.

“The Muslims of Telangana are feeling let down and the main reason for the Muslims to reject BRS party was the demolition of nine masjids during former chief minister KCR’s regime. The Moinabad police totally failed to arrest the main culprits involved in the act of demolition, and there hasn’t been any serious effort being put in by the Wakf Board to reconstruct the mosque,” he stated.

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Hyderabad: Telangana minister for transport Ponnam Prabhakar has appealed to the people of Hyderabad to install clay idols as much as possible during this year’s Ganesh Navratri festival which comes next month.

During a review meeting held with the officials of the departments concerned at the Command Control Centre in Hyderabad on Saturday, Ponnam inquired about the plans for the distribution of clay idols through Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC), Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) and the Telangana State Pollution Control Board (TGSPCB).

The Telangana transport minister stressed the need for cooperation between various departments for effective execution of plans and successful completion of Ganesh Festival 2024.

Ponnam Prabhakar instructed the officials to ensure that no problems arose anywhere right from the installation of Ganesha idols to their immersion during the Ganesh Navaratri festivities next month.

He asked the officials to ensure that no trouble or inconvenience was caused to the devotees during the festivities and instructed the authorities concerned, to complete all the arrangements across the city before the specified date.

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Hyderabad: A 69-year-old businessman from Hyderabad fell victim to a stock market investment scam, losing Rs 35.36 lakh to cyber fraudsters.

According to the police, the scam began when the victim received a WhatsApp message inviting him to join a group called “B-9 HDFC Securities” which had 159 members.

Three days after joining the group, the victim was asked to fill out an account application form to start trading.

He was then provided with a website link to begin investing in bulk stocks. As the victim made more transactions, his profits were displayed on the fraudulent trading app’s dashboard, luring him to invest more.

However, when the victim tried to withdraw his money, the scammers demanded a 30% commission on both the principal amount and the profit.

Realizing he had been duped, the victim filed a complaint with the Hyderabad Cyber Crimes police. A case has been registered on the matter and further investigation is ongoing.

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Hyderabad: The Telangana Cyber Security Bureau (TGCSB) has arrested two individuals for allegedly scamming a man of Rs 5.4 crore under the guise of online trading investments.

The two individuals, Rampilla Konda Rao and Rampilla Chandrasekhar Azad are both the Directors of a firm named Ricky Software Tech Private Limited.

According to Shikha Goel, Director of TGCSB, the suspects attracted victims through social media platforms.

Following a complaint from the victim, the police registered a case and apprehended Konda Rao and Chandrasekhar Azad.

Authorities confiscated their mobile phones, PAN cards, GST registration certificates, and other documents during the arrest.

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Hyderabad: Cyberabad police have dismantled a significant drug operation by apprehending three suppliers and five users, seizing 620 grams of heroin paste valued at around Rs 4.3 crore in the international market.

Madhapur DCP Dr. G. Vineeth reported that the Special Operations Team (SOT) of Madhapur and Raidurgam police conducted the arrests in Telecom Nagar, Gachibowli.

The arrested suppliers—Mangalaram Choudary, Dinesh Chowdary, and Ganesh Chowdary—are originally from Rajasthan and were found in Hyderabad. All five consumers tested positive for heroin use.

The main supplier, identified as Savar Jhat from Jaitharan, Rajasthan, is currently on the run. The operation involved the suppliers ordering heroin from Jhat and planning to distribute it to local consumers.

Following a tip-off, the police intervened, leading to the arrests and the seizure of the drugs along with two cars and several mobile phones.

The operation involved smuggling heroin paste from Rajasthan, hidden in a Mahindra XUV 500, for distribution within their network in Hyderabad.

The three suppliers were apprehended while attempting to deliver the drugs to a light fixture store in Gachibowli, owned by one of the arrested consumers, Prakash Chowdary.In addition to the suppliers, five consumers were detained, identified as Nithin Gujar, Prakash Chowdary, Jaivatram Vasnaram Dewasi, Prakash Chaudary, and Banaram Chaudary.

Heroin paste, a potent and less refined form of heroin, was sourced from Rajasthan, a region recognized for opium poppy cultivation.

Authorities are investigating whether the heroin originated from designated lands in Rajasthan that are permitted to cultivate poppy. During the operation, police also confiscated two vehicles and eight mobile phones. Investigations are ongoing.

The police are continuing their efforts to locate the absconding supplier and have urged the public to report any drug-related information confidentially.

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Hyderabad: Raja Singh, the BJP MLA representing the Goshamahal Assembly Constituency, is organizing a rally in Hyderabad today for the safety of minorities in Bangladesh.

The rally, named the ‘Hindu Aakrosh Rally,’ will begin today at 3 pm.

Raja Singh announces route for rally in Hyderabad

The MLA revealed that the rally will start at the Bal Gangadhar Tilak Statue, near Koti Women’s College, and will culminate at the Veer Savarkar Statue, Kachiguda X Road.

In a video shared on Twitter, Raja Singh claimed that Hindus are being attacked in Bangladesh amid uncertainties prevailing in the country.

Recently, BJP leader Madhavi Latha also led a protest in Old Malakpet to show solidarity with Hindus in Bangladesh.

‘Rights are equal for everyone,’ Prof Yunus assures minorities in Bangladesh

On Tuesday, Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, chief advisor of the interim government of Bangladesh, visited the historic Dhakeshwari Temple in Dhaka, where he assured the minorities in Bangladesh of their safety and security in the country.

“Rights are equal for everyone. We are all one people with one right. Do not make any distinctions among us. Please, assist us. Exercise patience, and later judge — what we were able to do and not. If we fail, then criticise us,” Prof Yunus was quoted as saying by Bangladesh newspaper Daily Star.

However, expressing concern over the safety of minorities in Bangladesh, leaders, including Raja Singh, are raising their voices, with some organizing rallies in Hyderabad.

In view of the scheduled rally from Koti to Kachiguda, security arrangements are likely to be tightened.

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Hyderabad: Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) working president KT Rama Rao (KTR) has questioned the statements made by the Telangana government on Foxconn’s investments in the state, alleging that under K Chandrasekhar Rao’s (KCR) leadership, an agreement was made with Foxconn to generate one lakh jobs in Telangana.

KTR expressed skepticism about whether Foxconn’s decision to shift its expansion plans to Bengaluru was influenced by comments from Revanth Reddy and administrative shortcomings.

He pointed out that Foxconn recently announced plans to establish its second-largest campus in Bengaluru, following its operations in China.

KTR has called on the government to clarify the situation regarding Foxconn’s investments and expansion plans in Telangana, specifically questioning if the move to Bengaluru was a result of the government’s failures.

This comes days after chief minister A Revanth Reddy met with Foxconn Chairman Young Liu in Delhi, where he emphasized the investment prospects available in Telangana.

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Hyderabad: The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) is encouraging all pet owners in its area to register their pets using the MyGHMC app.

This free registration process aims to provide pet owners with vital information and support while promoting responsible pet ownership. By registering, owners will receive important reminders regarding vaccinations and deworming schedules.

The app will also keep users informed about pet-related regulations, socialization tips, and their responsibilities as pet owners.

To achieve full registration, GHMC is organizing pet registration drives with the help of its entomology staff.

Pet owners are urged to take this opportunity to register their dogs through the pet animal license feature on the MyGHMC app.

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Hyderabad: The Madhapur police have initiated legal action by registering a case against Friday Up Consultancy, based in Ayyappa Society, Madhapur, following allegations of job fraud.

Reports indicate that the company collected Rs 1.5 lakh from approximately 600 individuals by promising them training and job placements.

However, after receiving the payments, the company’s staff reportedly severed all communication with the clients.

The consultancy is said to have additional branches in Bengaluru and Vijayawada, and the victims are now seeking refunds for the money they paid.

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Hyderabad: Hussain Sagar, a lake located in the heart of Hyderabad, has crossed its full tank level (FTL) due to rains in the city over the past two days.

As of Saturday, the lake’s water level stood at 513.53 meters, exceeding the FTL of 513.41 meters. The sluice gates were raised by 2 feet to manage the rising water, allowing water to flow through 12 vents.

Due to continuous rainfall, the lake has been receiving substantial inflows through various stormwater drains.

As of Saturday, the inflow at Hyderabad’s Hussain Sagar was 2,075 cusecs, while the outflow was 1,538 cusecs.

Rains in Hyderabad

Yesterday, the city experienced rainfall, with the highest amount recorded at 5.8 mm in Himayatnagar.

In the entire state, the highest rainfall, 82 mm, was recorded in Siddipet District.

For today, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) Hyderabad has forecasted thunderstorms, lightning, and squalls in various districts of Telangana. In Hyderabad, light to moderate rainfall is expected.

The rainfall is likely to further increase water levels in Hussain Sagar and other water bodies in the city.

Hussain Sagar: One of popular tourist spots in Hyderabad

Hussain Sagar, built by Ibrahim Quli Qutb Shah in 1563, is one of the popular tourist attractions in Hyderabad.

The heart-shaped lake was named after Hussain Shah Wali, a master architect. It served as the main source of water supply before the construction of Osman Sagar and Himayat Sagar.

The Buddha statue at the center of the lake was erected in 1992.

As it is a popular tourist spot, many people visit the lake to view it at full tank level. However, it is important to exercise caution at the lake when the water level is high.

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New Delhi: The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear on Tuesday BRS leader K Kavitha’s pleas seeking bail in corruption and money laundering cases linked to the alleged Delhi excise policy scam.

The apex court had on August 12 sought responses from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Kavitha’s pleas challenging the Delhi High Court’s July 1 verdict denying her bail in these cases.

As per the cause list of August 20 uploaded on the top court website, a bench of justices B R Gavai and K V Viswanathan is slated to hear her pleas.

During the arguments on August 12, Kavitha’s counsel had sought bail contending that she has been in custody for around five months and the charge sheet and prosecution complaint have already been filed by the CBI and the ED respectively.

A prosecution complaint is the ED’s equivalent of a charge sheet.

Her lawyer had referred to the apex court’s verdicts on the pleas filed by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Aam Aadmi Party leader Manish Sisodia.

The top court had earlier granted interim bail to Kejriwal in the money laundering case linked to the alleged scam. Sisodia was granted bail in both the corruption and money laundering cases linked to the alleged Delhi excise policy scam.

The high court had on July 1 dismissed Kavitha’s bail pleas in both the cases, saying she was prima facie one of the main conspirators in the criminal conspiracy related to the formation and implementation of the now-scrapped Delhi Excise Policy 2021-22.

The CBI and the ED have lodged separate cases pertaining to alleged corruption and money laundering in the formulation and implementation of the policy.

The ED arrested Kavitha (46) from her Banjara Hills residence in Hyderabad on March 15. The CBI arrested her on April 11 in connection with the corruption case linked to the alleged scam.

Kavitha has denied the allegations.

While dismissing her bail pleas, the high court had said no case for grant of regular bail was made for now as the investigation is at a crucial stage.

It had rejected her plea for relief on the grounds of being a woman, saying as a well-educated person and a former MP, she cannot be equated to a vulnerable female, and the court cannot lose sight of the “serious allegations” against her.

In the high court, Kavitha had challenged the May 6 order of a trial court which had dismissed her bail applications in the CBI’s corruption case as well as the ED’s money-laundering case.

Before the high court in the ED case, the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leader, daughter of former Telangana chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao, had said she had “nothing to do” with the excise policy and there was a criminal conspiracy against her “orchestrated by the ruling party at the Centre with the active connivance of the ED”.

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Hyderabad: Telangana transport minister Ponnam Prabhakar on Sunday, August 18 said he was deeply shocked by the rape and murder of the doctor in West Bengal.

He urged doctors to return to duty while protesting since medical services have taken a hit due to the nationwide protests sparked by the incident.

The minister took to X and said, “The rape and murder of the doctor in Kolkata shocked me deeply. The whole country is standing up for the victim. I strongly condemn this incident; action should be taken against those responsible and they should be punished severely.”

“Doctors across the country are showing solidarity with the protest. Yesterday in private hospitals, the patients faced severe difficulties due to the closure of OP and emergency services by the doctors,” added Ponnam and requested doctors to resume duties while protesting.

“The Congress party will support the doctors in case they are attacked. Previously, the party had passed a law which will punish perpetrators severely if the doctors are harmed,” Ponnam reassured.

On August 9, a female doctor was raped and murdered at the RG Kar hospital in Kolkata, West Bengal. The incident sparked nationwide protests over the week.

The Indian Medical Association (IMA) had called a nationwide protest on August 17 during which non essential medical services were halted. In most colleges and hospitals out patient services took a hit as junior doctors went on a protest over the incident.

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Hyderabad: The Hyderabad Disaster Response and Assets Monitoring and Protection (HYDRA) on Sunday, August 18, initiated a demolition drive targeting illegal constructions in the Full Tank Level and buffer zone of Gandipet Lake.

Two illegal buildings were razed and a few locals protesting the demolition were arrested. Further details regarding the incident are awaited.

The buildings, including the apartments, were found to be non-compliant with land-use norms near Gandipet Lake.

Earlier, on August 12 HYDRA commissioner AV Ranganath said, “We have a list of encroachers and those who are disposing of waste in the dried lakes in various parts of Hyderabad. A large amount of properties in these areas belong to politicians and grabbers.”

“These constructions have been done without obtaining no objection certificates (NOC). The encroachment is happening at a large scale but we are targeting those responsible for enabling it,” assured Ranganath.

“HYDRA has been allocated at a budget of Rs 200 crore and we are taking strict action against encroachments,” said Ranganath.

The HYDRA commissioner stated that the government is promoting real estate on a large scale, but it has not permitted the construction of residential buildings around water bodies or by encroaching depleted lakes in Hyderabad.

“The constructions can be done at allotted spaces and not in designated government land or public spaces. We haven’t checked the Hussain Sagar Lake, however, there are several complaints of encroachment there so we will definitely take it up moving forward,” the HYDRA commissioner said.

As HYDRA tightens its grip on encroachments around lakes in Hyderabad, the GHMC has decided to rejuvenate 47 lakes in Hyderabad across six zones. The focus will be on rejuvenating the lakes in Hyderabad by protecting, conserving, and beautifying them. 

The lakes in Hyderabad have been divided into three groups for the upgrade. Package 1, with a budget of Rs 61.40 crore, will cover seven lakes in the Khairatabad zone. Package 2, costing Rs 45.88 crore, will address 26 lakes in the Kukatpally and Serilingampally zones. Package 3, with Rs 54.07 crore allocated, will focus on 14 lakes in the LB Nagar, Secunderabad, and Charminar zones.

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Hyderabad: A BMW car travelling from Khairatabad to Banjara Hills in the early hours of Sunday, August 18, met with a serious accident after crashing into a road divider.

The vehicle which had four passengers, two men and two women, lost control leading to the collision. The accident left two passengers in the BMW seriously injured.

Witnesses stated that the BMW car was travelling at high speed before ramming into the divider.

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Hyderabad: Telangana deputy chief minister Batti Vikramarka on Sunday, August 18 said that Savaipeta village in Karimnagar will be converted into a tourist spot.

Batti stressed that converting the village into a tourism spot will help people from across India to visit the place and learn about Papanna’s life. ” I request minister Ponnam Prabhakar to discuss the proposal with the tourism department. The government has issued a an order granting Rs 4.70 crore for the development of the area,” said the deputy CM.

He further launched a pocket sized book dedicated to the life of Sardar Sarvai Papanna Goud’s life on the occasion of the latter’s 374 birth anniversary. Papadu is believed to be the Robin Hood of Telangana during the 17-18the centuries, after the Mughals took over the state.

He further urged the Backward Classes Welfare department to print regular sized copies of the book which could be distributed among people. “There are a lot of lessons we can learn from Papanna’s life,” Vikramarka said.

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Hyderabad: The Musallam Jung Pul, now popular with its corrupted moniker ‘Muslim Jung Pool or Bridge’, is turning into a ‘must stop’ Sunday destination for families and newly married couples.

With thousands of pigeons flocking to the Musallam Jung or Muslim Jung Pul bridge, it has also been turned into a pigeon feeding point. Families on their way to the newer parts of the city from Old City or Shamshabad, Aramgarh and beyond stop over for a few minutes to refresh themselves.

The Musallam bridge also provides a favourite pastime to children who enjoy feeding the pigeons on the bridge and their parents taking pictures with mobile phones. “Children force us to stop for some time while passing through the bridge. They enjoy running around and feeding pigeons,” said Junaid, who was seen on the bridge with his wife and a three year-old daughter.

Two vendors sit at the two ends of the bridge also sell grains. A small pack cost Rs. 20. “I earn around 500 on any regular day except when it rains. On public holidays when there is a crowd I earn Rs. 1000,” said a woman who sells wheat, dal and jowar.

The Musallam bridge was built by the sixth Nizam Mir Mahboob Ali Khan in 1893 to connect the city with the then peripheral areas. The construction of the bridge was completed in four years and it was thrown open to the public. The structure was damaged in the 1908 floods but rebuilt later.

Historians say that the bridge was necessitated after the Puranapul Bridge and Afzalgunj Bridge to cater to the connectivity needs of the people of the south with the new settlements that were coming up in the north.

But a parallel bridge costing Rs 11 crore was constructed and opened to the public a decade ago. The bridge was constructed because the Musallam Jung Bridge was narrow and there were traffic problems.

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Hyderabad: The Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) has taken legal action against local media outlet RTV and its president, Ravi Prakash, for spreading false news claiming the party’s merger with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

The party has demanded that the misleading content be taken down from RTV’s YouTube channel and social media pages immediately. They’ve also asked for an apology.

In the legal notice, BRS urged the media outlet to cease broadcasting defamatory and slanderous content aimed at tarnishing the party’s image. The party has warned that failure to comply with these demands within five days will lead to legal action for defamation, slander, and libel.

BRS accused the media outlet of serving the personal and political interests of a third party by spreading the rumours without any proof.

Additionally, the BRS took issue with RTV’s claims of exclusivity, where the media outlet repeatedly broadcast the merger story. The party contended that this only fueled public confusion.

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Hyderabad: In an unfortunate incident, a mother ended her life after drowning her two children in Shamirpet lake. The dead bodies of the two children were discovered in the lake by locals on Saturday, August 17.

In a subsequent search, the mother’s body was found in a nearby area. The police have linked the tragic incident to ongoing family disputes.

The deceased identified as Bhanupriya, Anand, 5, and Diksha, 4, are natives of Mulug mandal in Siddipet district. The police, following a primary investigation, confirmed that Bhanupriya died by suicide in the lake after killing her children.

The circumstances leading to this devastating act are still under investigation.

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Hyderabad: As part of the drive to check the drug menace, Telangana’s Prohibition and Excise Department conducted raids on several pubs and bars in Hyderabad and adjoining Rangareddy district. 

The personnel formed 25 teams to conduct the raids on popular pubs and bars at various places in both districts late on Saturday night. The raids continued till the early hours of Sunday, August 18.

The team conducted tests on suspects with panel drug detection kits to confirm if they were consuming drugs.

The raids were conducted under the direction of Telangana Prohibition and Excise Director General V.B. Kamalasan Reddy.

Joint Commissioner Qureshi, Assistant Commissioners R. Kishan and Anil Kumar Reddy, and Additional S.P. Bhaskar supervised the simultaneous raids.

The teams conducted searches at 12 bars and pubs in Hyderabad district and 13 bars and pubs in Rangareddy district.

Top officials have already warned pubs and bars that if they allow the consumption of drugs on their premises, their licenses will be cancelled.

Meanwhile, police at Pet Basheerabad on the outskirts of Hyderabad seized ganja chocolates from a kirana shop.

The Special Operations Team (SOT) of Medchal and Pet Basheerabad police conducted a raid at a shop in Subhash Nagar and seized 200 ganja-laced chocolates. They arrested the accused, identified as Pivesh Pandey.

Police said the investigations revealed that he had been selling ganja chocolates to customers for the last six months.

The police in recent months detected similar cases in different parts of the city and outskirts.

The state government has already declared that it will deal with the menace of drugs with an iron hand.

As part of this, the government has strengthened the Telangana Anti-Narcotics Bureau. Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy said in his Independence Day speech that strict measures have been initiated to free the state from the drug menace.

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