Hyderabad, Aug 19 — With the Maoist problem coming to an end, the Telangana Police Department is rationalising its workforce and, as part of the restructuring exercise, redeploying personnel from specialised units to meet the changing nature of crime and public safety challenges.
Director-General of Police C.V. Anand said on Wednesday that 513 personnel from specialised units, including Greyhounds, OCTOPUS and SIB, are being redeployed to eight departments based on operational requirements.
Speaking at the Telangana Police Academy, the police chief said the nature of policing had changed significantly over the decades. While Left-Wing Extremism and terrorism were major challenges in the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s, the police are now increasingly required to deal with drug trafficking, cybercrime, online betting, investment fraud, traffic management, road safety and food adulteration.
Explaining the redeployment, Anand said the largest allocation of 224 personnel has been made to the Traffic Management and Road Safety wing, followed by 80 to Food Adulteration and Drug Control and 79 to Vigilance and Enforcement. Another 28 personnel will be posted to Civil Supplies, 27 to DGP Office–T-SPARK and 25 each to the Anti-Corruption Bureau, Crime Investigation Department and Cyber Security Bureau.
The redeployed personnel comprise five Inspectors, 22 Sub-Inspectors, 14 Assistant Sub-Inspectors, 84 Head Constables and 388 Constables.
The Telangana Police Academy conducted an 11-day specialised training programme to familiarise the personnel with the functions and responsibilities of their new departments. “The objective is to make the best use of the available police manpower in areas that directly affect the lives and safety of people,” Anand said.
Recounting the evolution of policing in Telangana, he said the State had witnessed intense Left-Wing Extremist activity during the 1980s and 1990s. The need for a specialised force led to the establishment of a dedicated unit under K.S. Vyas in 1987, which later evolved into the Greyhounds.
He said Greyhounds, SIB and other units played a significant role in containing Maoist activity in Telangana. Such activity declined substantially after 2017, although it continued in neighbouring states such as Chhattisgarh, Odisha and Jharkhand.
The DGP also recalled the 2007 terrorist attacks in Hyderabad, including the incidents at Lumbini Park and the Charminar area, which led to the development of OCTOPUS as a specialised counter-terrorism unit.
Anand said the growing availability and use of drugs among young people was a serious concern. Drug traces had reportedly been detected among 835 students last year, while a study at another university indicated exposure among around 70 per cent of its students.
Cybercrime has emerged as another major challenge, particularly with the growth of online betting, investment frauds and fraudulent applications. Telangana suffered financial losses of around Rs 1,750 crore due to cybercrime last year, he said, underlining the need to strengthen specialised cybercrime units and preventive mechanisms.
The latest restructuring has accorded road safety the highest priority. Anand said around 8,000 people were killed in road accidents in Telangana last year. The allocation of 224 personnel to Traffic Management and Road Safety was intended to strengthen enforcement and accident-prevention measures.
He stressed the need to tackle the entire drug supply chain while simultaneously expanding awareness programmes involving students, parents and educational institutions. “If we do not protect children now, the situation could become much worse in the future,” he cautioned.
He added that the police would work with engineering and other government departments to identify accident-prone locations and rectify infrastructure-related deficiencies. A State-wide road safety initiative is also being planned.