Hyderabad activists appeal Telangana CM to reopen Macca masjid blast case
Hyderabad: Hyderabad activists appeal Telangana chief minister to reopen and conduct re-trial of the Macca masjid blast case on the eve of 17th Anniversary of Macca Masjid Bomb blast.
Social Activists based out of Hyderabed SQ Masood, Kaneez Fathima, Sarah Mathews, Khalida Parveen, All Asghar, and Mounis Abidi, Human Rights Lawyer penned an open letter and released in their official X (formerly twitter) handles and tagged Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy.
Explain the sequence of case transfer from Hussaini Alam police to the Central Bureau of Investigation(CBI) and at last to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) which investigated the case and filed a charge sheet.
“In the charge-sheet filed NIA named five people, including Naba Kumar Sarkar, alias Swami Aseemanand. However, after a lengthy trial, the NIA failed to prosecute the accused and in April 2018 the Special NIA Court acquitted all the accused. Shockingly, the NIA, which operates under the Ministry of Home Affairs, chose not to appeal the verdict,” said in a statement released by the social activists.
Activists put forward three demands
The social activist came up with three demands- that the Macca Masjid case to be reopened and a thorough retrial be conducted. Secondly, the state of Telangana should file an intervention petition in the Telangana High court(HC) against the acquittal. Lastly, the V. Bhaskara Rao Commission report that probed the police firing aftermath of Macca Masjid Bomb blast to be made public.
The statement highlighted that neither the Congress government of undivided Andhra Pradesh nor the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (now the Bharat Rashtra Samithi) that governed Telangana till a few months prior released this report, which is believed to contain damning observations about the police’s conduct. The activists urged the present Congress government to release the report and set an example by demonstrating its commitment to justice.
It is pertinent to note that seventeen years ago today, on May 18, the Macca Masjid bombing killed nine people and injured 58. Further the police opened fire at the protesters gathered in the immediate aftermath, resulting in the deaths of five more individuals.
CM Revanth Reddy reorganizes disaster management for Greater Hyderabad
HYDERABAD: Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy has decided to assign critical responsibilities to the Disaster Management Department within Greater Hyderabad. He has directed officials to implement structural changes and redistribute responsibilities accordingly. In a review meeting at the Secretariat on Monday evening, the Chief Minister discussed the reorganization with officials from Municipal Administration, HMDA, and Musi Development.
Expansion of disaster management responsibilities
Recognizing the geographic expansion of Hyderabad, the Chief Minister ordered the Disaster Management Department to extend its jurisdiction to the Outer Ring Road. He suggested including GHMC, 27 surrounding municipalities and corporations, and 33 gram panchayats within its service area. The department will be renamed the Hyderabad Disaster Response and Assets Monitoring Protection (HYDRA). The Chief Minister proposed appointing a DIG-level officer as the director and SP-level officers as additional directors. He also recommended special teams from GHMC, HMDA, the Water Board, city traffic, and other departments to join this new division.
The Chief Minister emphasized the need for the Disaster Management Department to offer continuous services to city residents, not just during floods or emergencies. HYDRA should actively address all issues faced by Hyderabad’s citizens, including preserving the city’s tanks and ponds, protecting government properties from encroachments, and managing hoardings and flex banners. Additionally, HYDRA will oversee water pipelines, electricity supply lines, drainage, flood management, and traffic control.
Focus on heritage and infrastructure projects
Chief Minister Reddy directed the acceleration of the Musi River Development Project, aiming to elevate Hyderabad’s international reputation. He stressed the importance of working towards the government’s goal of transforming this project into a landmark. He also ordered officials to take necessary actions to restore historical buildings and structures within the city. The GHMC presented a PowerPoint on various heritage sites, such as the City Library, Charminar Ayurvedic Hospital, and Nizamia Observatory etc. The Chief Minister encouraged exploring ways to develop these sites for tourism and integrating feasible ones into the Musi River Development Project.
The Chief Minister instructed Chief Secretary Shantikumar to draft a comprehensive reorganization plan, including staffing, duties, and budget allocations for HYDRA. He also emphasized identifying key areas where the Disaster Management Department can enhance its operations.
The meeting included Chief Secretary Shantikumar, Principal Secretary of Municipal Administration and Urban Development Danakishore, GHMC Commissioner Amrapali, GHMC Vigilance Disaster Management Commissioner A.V. Ranganath, and Hyderabad Water Board MD Ashok Reddy.
