Hyderabad police conduct searches following terror alerts

Hyderabad: In the wake of alerts by the IB about possible terror attacks, Hyderabad police on Tuesday conducted "cordon and search" operations in certain areas and questioned several Myanmar nationals, besides taking into custody at least nine persons from Assam.

The police have been instructed to keep vigil at bus and railway stations, city junctions, places of worship and the business areas which have floating population.

The combing was essential to find out criminal elements and sleeper terror cells, members of which sometimes live as temporary residents in the city, pretending to be labourers, without ID proofs, police said.

Deputy commissioner of police (south zone) V Satyanarayana said that police conducted combing operations in the early hours by cordoning off the areas of Hafeez-Baba Nagar and Ghouse Nagar.

"As many as 67 Myanmar nationals were taken into custody, of which 48 possess UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees) card. The other 19 didn't have any card," the DCP said.

All of them were released after taking their finger prints and photographs and conducting inquiry, he said.

Another 40 persons who were found to be living in suspicious circumstances were detained, questioned and their fingerprints were taken.

Nine of them, hailing from Assam, were produced before a special executive magistrate and bonds were taken from them for guarantee of good conduct.

Police also raided a function hall in Ghouse Nagar where frozen beef was found. "The beef parcels and vehicles loaded with animals remains have been handed over to the Assistant (Municipal) Director (Veterinary) for examination," a police release said.