Hanuman Jayanti was celebrated on Saturday amid an increased constabulary, given the communal violence witnessed as reported last week in other States. The 12-km centralised Shobha Yatra procession which began in the morning reached its destination with the roar of Jai Shree Ram slogans.
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The main procession began in Gowliguda around 11.30 a.m. and proceeded towards Putlibowli, even as it was eventually joined by 56 tributary processions from different parts of the city. The procession reached Ramkote around 3 p.m. and around the same time, tributary processions from the South Zone, an administrative unit which covers large parts of the Old City, merged with the main procession, and crossed Kachiguda.
Devotees participate in ‘Shobha Yatra’ on the occasion of Hanuman Jayanti, in Nizamabad on Saturday. | Photo Credit: RAMANA K V
Youths on two-wheelers carried large, saffron flags even as structures on both sides of the road installed saffron buntings. Keeping in line with the traffic restrictions, vehicular movement was diverted at the GPO towards MJ Market even as commuters were asked to take this road to reach Charminar.
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So as to avoid any untoward incident and as a precautionary measure, several mosques along the procession route, such as the one at Saroornagar, were covered with large tarpaulin sheets. Video clips of a vehicle, which was a part of the procession emerged, which purportedly showed the Banayenge mandir, perceived as controversial by some sections, and playing it when it reached the historic Mecca Masjid.
Senior police officers, such as Commissioner of Police C V Anand kept a close watch on the procession. Meanwhile Joint Commissioner of Traffic A V Ranganath too kept an eye on vehicular movement. CCTV cameras and drones cameras fed visuals to the Command and Control Centre. Officials of the TSRTC, GHMC, EMRI, Fire Services, and TSSPDCL too were alert. Mr Anand later thanked the public for their cooperation.
A person dressed as Lord Hanuman with six-pack abs entertains devotees participating in the Hanuman Jayanti festivities at Koti in Hyderabad on Saturday. | Photo Credit: NAGARA GOPAL
Meanwhile, the Cyberabad Police said that there were 106 processions organised in the commissionerate and as many as 3,000 of its personnel were deployed.
The movement of traffic was affected in several parts of the city even as the official Twitter handle of the Hyderabad Traffic Police provided updates on vehicular movement and the removal of traffic diversions in real-time. The procession culminated at the Veeranjaneya Swamy Temple around 8 p.m.