Hyderabad Police Chief C.V. Anand justifies restrictions amid successful Holi celebrations
Hyderabad: Holi celebrations, the festival of colors, were held with great enthusiasm across Hyderabad on March 14, 2025. Thousands gathered at various locations, including People’s Plaza, Malaysian Township, and Begum Bazaar, to take part in the festivities, dancing and playing with colors.
Holi, which marks the arrival of spring and symbolizes the triumph of good over evil, also commemorates significant events in Hindu mythology, such as the divine love of Radha and Krishna and Vishnu’s victory over the demon king Hiranyakashipu.
Day before night and yesterday was tough for @hydcitypolice as all of us were deployed to ensure a peaceful Dahanam-Holi & Ramzan second Friday prayers. As is our fate , 14,000 of us - from Homeguard to CP rank , missed celebrations of these festivals with our families and were… pic.twitter.com/wd9nUKP0AO
— CV Anand IPS (@CVAnandIPS) March 15, 2025
To ensure public safety and maintain law and order, the Hyderabad City Police imposed certain restrictions in connection with the celebrations. Commissioner of Police C.V. Anand, IPS, invoked powers under Section 22 of the Hyderabad City Police Act, 1348 Fasli, to prohibit specific activities from 6:00 p.m. on March 13, 2025, to 6:00 a.m. on March 15, 2025.
The restrictions included a ban on throwing colored water or smearing unwilling individuals, vehicles, or places with color in public spaces. Such actions were deemed likely to cause inconvenience or annoyance to the public. Additionally, the movement of two-wheelers and vehicles in groups, which could disturb public peace or pose a danger, was also prohibited during the period.
Now i want to ask all those hate mongers , who posted so many things against ‘ police restrictions ‘, Did police stop you from celebrating Holi anywhere or interfere with your festivities ? Police never does that , it only takes precautions and facilitates so that everyone enjoys… pic.twitter.com/FW7CsK6cRL
— CV Anand IPS (@CVAnandIPS) March 15, 2025
The public was warned that violations of the order would lead to legal action under Section 76 of the Hyderabad City Police Act, 1348 Fasli.
In response to criticism regarding the restrictions, C.V. Anand took to social media, addressing concerns. He asked, “Did police stop you from celebrating Holi anywhere or interfere with your festivities? Police never does that. It only takes precautions and facilitates so that everyone enjoys their festivals in an orderly manner.”
Anand also pointed out that similar notifications had been issued for other festivals such as Ganesh Chaturthi, Diwali, Eid, and Bonalu, ensuring public order and peace. “Without these notifications, we cannot exercise our powers under the City Police Act,” he explained.
He added, “Day before last night and yesterday were tough for @hydcitypolice as we were deployed for both Dahanam-Holi and Ramzan Friday prayers. 14,000 of us, from Homeguard to CP rank, missed celebrations with our families to ensure peace.”
Despite the heavy deployment, there were four incidents, all of which were swiftly handled by the police. Overall, the festivities ended peacefully, bringing relief to the citizens.
Netizens widely appreciated the efforts of the Hyderabad City Police, with many expressing their gratitude for maintaining peace and order during the celebrations.
