HYDERABAD: The activities of rowdy-sheeters in Hyderabad have escalated alarmingly, with incidents of murder, threats, and private settlements reportedly increasing across the city. In response, the Hyderabad Police Commissionerate has adopted a stringent approach to contain their activities.
Acting on the instructions of Police Commissioner C.V. Anand, Station House Officers (SHOs), Task Force personnel, and intelligence units are closely monitoring the actions of rowdy-sheeters and habitual offenders. They are also tracking their social media posts, and summoning those who cross the line to police stations for counselling sessions.
According to official statistics, there are currently 1,517 rowdy-sheeters in the city. Of these, around 20 percent are inactive due to age-related reasons. However, 40 to 50 individuals are classified as hardened criminals, with some reportedly procuring weapons illegally under the pretext of threats from rivals.
The South Zone has the highest number of rowdy-sheeters with 399, followed by South West Zone with 293, South East with 233, North Zone with 185, West Zone with 177, East Zone with 116, and Central Zone with 114, as per police data.
The police have stepped up surveillance on their movements and intervene immediately if any suspicious activity is detected. Counselling is conducted in the presence of family members to deter further offences. Officials stated that 12 gangs have been counselled in recent days.