Hyderabad: Hyderabad Police Commissioner V.C. Sajjanar, IPS, participated in the Lal Darwaza Bonalu *Shikhara Puja* and *Dhwajarohanam* ceremonies at the Sri Simhavahini Mahankali Temple on Friday as part of the Ashada Masam Bonalu festivities. He offered special prayers to the presiding deity.
According to Sajjanar, inviting the Hyderabad Police Commissioner to the annual rituals has become a long-standing tradition. He also said devotees have celebrated the Bonalu festival at the temple with devotion for the past 120 years.
The Commissioner said the Bonalu celebrations at Golconda and Balkampet concluded peacefully. Meanwhile, police held coordination meetings with GHMC, Water Works, the Electricity Department and the Roads and Buildings Department. The meetings focused on ensuring the smooth conduct of the Lal Darwaza festivities.
Lal Darwaza Bonalu security intensified
Further, Sajjanar said South Zone Police had strengthened security by deploying additional personnel. At the same time, all departments had taken steps to prevent inconvenience to devotees visiting the temple.
He said nearly 2,000 police personnel were deployed for bandobast. In addition, the Crime Wing and She Teams were maintaining round-the-clock surveillance. They were monitoring eve-teasing, chain-snatching and pickpocketing across the festival area.
Finally, Sajjanar appealed to devotees and temple committee members to cooperate with the police for the peaceful conduct of the festival. Besides this, Additional Commissioner of Police (South Zone) Tafsir Iqbal, IPS, Charminar Zone DCP Khare Kiran Prabhakar, IPS, GHMC Zonal Commissioner Satyanarayana, Endowments Assistant Commissioner and Festival Chief Officer E. Srinivasa Rao attended the programme.