The Hyderabad Joint CP Tripathi Krupananth has announced that stringent security measures have been set up all around the city to prevent any untoward incidents on account of the 3rd anniversary of the Mecca Masjid blasts.
Security has been tightened in town, especially in
Charminar,
Mecca Masjid,
Lumbini Park and the entire stretch of
Necklace Road. Bullet-proof vests have been provided to all the local policemen. Atleast 5 IPS officers are being placed in the city for a lookout.
On 18 May 2007, a cellphone-triggered pipe bomb placed inside Hyderabad's renowed religious abode, the Mecca Masjid, claimed the lives of 14 in the immediate aftermath, of whom 5 were killed by the police firing after the incident. Since then, the city has been subjected to acts of violence every subsequent year on this day.
The second anniversary of the blasts saw a police picket near Falaknuma in the Old City area being attacked by an organization named Tehreek Galba-e-Islam (TGI).
Terror struck the city once again a few days ago, when 3 masked men on a motorcycle opened unprovoked fire at a police picket at Khilawat in the Hussaini Alam police station area of Hyderabad’s old city, killing constable Ramesh Kumar.
Immediately, Hyderabad police began a large-scale manhunt for Viqaruddin, an alleged SIMI activist who is now considered to have links with Tehreek Galba-e-Islam (TGI) as well. Viqar has been evading the police for the last 3 years.
Meanwhile, Mecca Masjid holds special prayers every year on this day to pay tributes to those who lost their lives in the blast, and for peace to prevail within the city.