Hyderabad: Mangar Basthi miscreants target poor people, shoppers in Mallepally
Hyderabad: Muslim shopkeepers and customers in Mallepally locality have raised serious concerns over frequent disturbances allegedly caused by miscreants from Mangar Basthi, a nearby slum under the jurisdiction of the Habeeb Nagar police station.
The traders are worried about their safety and business as the attacks from miscreants have escalated during the busy Ramadan shopping season.
According to shopkeepers, the miscreants have been creating a ruckus in the locality and scaring away potential customers.
“They come in groups of 10-15 individuals. They snatch phones, wallets and items from the poor people and buyers. They are not sparing the children as well,” said a local shopkeeper.
The increasing incidents have affected local businesses. Due to the attacks from some youths from Mangar Basthi, families are now scared to visit, according to shopkeepers.
“We are already facing losses due to rising costs, and these attacks are driving people away,” said another shop owner.
Some locals said the miscreants were armed with metal sticks and rods. They were about to attack a man but ran away after noticing the police van arriving in the area.
Following a complaint, the Habeeb Nagar police arrived at the scene and gathered details from the affected customers and shopkeepers. The police assured the residents that steps would be taken to increase patrols in the locality and ensure public safety during the Ramadan shopping season.
Mangar Basti, also known as Afzalsagar is just 2 km away from Nampally. The slum is inhabited by many poor people. The area was once known to harbour criminals and people indulging in unlawful activities. Many gangs of pocket-pickers, thieves, burglars and robbers would live here. Due to various initiatives taken by the district administration in the last two decades, many of them have reformed and are leading a normal life.
