The Hyderabad police commissioner M Mahender Reddy visited communally sensitive places in the city and deployed 20,000 cops in the Old City for Bakrid and Ganesh Chaturthi on Tuesday.

The Times of India reported that 15,000 cops from law and order, Task Force, Special Branch, Armed Reserve, City Security Wing, traffic branch, along with 5,000 personnel of other districts and paramilitary forces were deployed in the Old City for Bakrid and Ganesh immersion bandobust work.

The report also adds that the top cop has appealed to the people not to believe in rumours circulated on social media by miscreants to incite communal tension.

“This is the first time that both festivals are coming together and people should celebrate peacefully,” Mahender Reddy said. 

The Deccan Chronicle reported:

The festivities were being monitored at the command and control centre through CCTV cameras. Any violation will be dealt strictly. Security personnel from the rest of Telangana, other states and from paramilitary forces have been deployed. Police has carried out anti-sabotage checks; area domination and quick reaction teams are on the ground, officials said.

The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) has also reportedly distributed as many as 1.3 lakh polythene covers in the south zone in view of the upcoming Bakrid festival. 

Earlier, the Telangana government has said it will take action against people who slaughter cows during Bakr-Eid or Eid al-Adha.

The state Animal Husbandry Department had issued a circular in Hyderabad, stating that those who violate the Prohibition of Cow Slaughter and Animal Preservation Act will be punished.