Civil society members decry cordon and search operations in Hyderabad

Activists claimed that while drug users are found among people from all ‘classes’, searches and nabbing culprits were being done from the ‘lower rung of the society.

Cordon and search operations tend to project areas as ‘criminal areas’, are an infringement of privacy, and drug consumption is seen in all classes of society but searches are being done in the relatively ‘lower rung’ of society, a fact-finding committee on the issue has observed.

The fact-finding committee comprised activists Surya from Chaitanya Mahila Samakhya, Sajaya, Nikhat Fatima, Sujatha Surepally from Dalit Women Collective, Kaneez Fathima, Jyothi, S Q Masood, and Bilal from Human Rights Forum.

In a statement to the media, the committee said said that they visited neighbourhoods which witnessed cordon and search operations and spoke to residents about what ensued during these operations. These neighbourhoods included Chandraiah Huts, Hanumanthu huts and Narsaiah huts, which is a settlement of 236 huts, along the banks of the Musi. A large number of dwellers here, the team said, were Madigas, and a few families belonging to Scheduled Tribes, and Muslims. The committee also interacted with residents of Nawab Sahab Kunta and Teegal Kunta which also saw cordon and search operations.