Hyderabad floods: Police win hearts with selfless service

Hyderabad: When city police constable Veerender braved all odds to rescue 25 people caught in a deluge of unseen proportions, he symbolised the humane face of a perceived tough police force which went beyond its call of duty to reach out to stranded citizens.

When the city was caught in the deluge, the first to respond to the crisis were the policemen who performed a myriad of tasks- from clearing traffic on inundated roads to rescuing people in distress and providing food to the needy.

More than 50 people were killed in Telangana, including over 11 here, in torrential downpour that lashed the state over the past few days ,resulting in flooding and inundation that threw life out of gear for the common people, especially in and around the city.

The quick response of the policemen from the three police commissionerates here Hyderabad, Cyberabad and Rachakonda -- in extending a helping hand when it was needed the most, has won praise from the citizens.

One among them was Constable Veerender of Chikkadpally police station.

He almost single-handedly rescued 25 people, who were stranded at homes following inundation of the locality, using a boat, an officer of the police station told PTI.

The policeman's act earned the praise of Hyderabad Commissioner Anjani Kumar, who described him as his "hero" and "true stars" of the team.

"Constable officer Veerender of Chikadpally PS is my hero. He rescued 25 stranded people while himself remaining in deep water. This was at Aravind Nagar Domalguda."

"Such officers are the true stars of our team. I salute them and thank the community for encouraging the Hyd police," Kumar said in a tweet.

Many Twitter users appreciated Veerenders brave act and the services rendered by the police during the heavy rains this week and during the COVID-19-induced lockdown earlier.

Similarly, while the scary visuals of a man being washed away in swirling waters in the old city went viral, prompting prayers for his safe rescue, little did many know that he was pulled out to safety by alert policemen.

The man was miraculously saved by alert police personnel on duty with the help of some local residents at Falaknuma in the old city, a police official told PTI.

Further, "Saidabad PS officers won the hearts of many by conducting rescue operations at late night. This is just one example of the many such rescue and relief operations conducted by Hyd city police..." Kumar tweeted.

"Community is our strength and we are dedicated for them completely," he added.

The Rachakonda Police organised distribution of food and water to the needy, even as they attended to various tasks following the heavy rains.

Following an appeal by Commissioner Mahesh Bhagwat to extend a helping hand to the needy during the crisis, the volunteers and members of the Rachakonda Security Council supplied food, biscuit packets and water bottles,among others.

In addition to supplying food items to the needy residents, biscuit packets were distributed to those stranded on the Hyderabad-Vijayawada highway following traffic disruption on the road due to the heavy rains.

Further, a constable of Abdullapurmet police station, Surender, bravely took out a body from running water, sitting in the front portion of an excavator, Rachakonda police said.

Cyberabad Police was also involved in helping people,with Commissioner V C Sajjanar, actively engaged in rescue and relief activities during the heavy rains and flooding, himself helping in carrying an old woman in a chair in an inundated locality.

In many areas, traffic police attended to exigencies like removing fallen tree branches, filling potholes on roads with gravel and pumping out water from water-logged roads.

(PTI)