Hyderabad Police Commissioner V.C. Sajjanar has warned residents against organising midnight birthday celebrations and cake-cutting ceremonies on Tank Bund and other major roads after a six-year-old girl and a family member were killed in a road accident while crossing the road for a birthday gathering.
In an appeal issued on Friday, October 9, the Commissioner urged youngsters and parents to avoid holding celebrations on busy roads, near lakes and in parks late at night. He said gatherings intended for brief celebrations could become dangerous because of reckless driving and the higher speeds maintained by motorists when roads are relatively empty.
According to the police, the family had gathered around 2 a.m. on Tank Bund to celebrate the birthday of the six-year-old girl when the accident occurred. Police personnel reached the spot after receiving information and shifted the injured victims to hospital, but the child and another family member later died.
Following the accident, Mr. Sajjanar inspected the site with senior police officials and reviewed preventive measures aimed at avoiding similar incidents. A comprehensive assessment was also carried out in coordination with various government departments to identify ways to improve road safety at the location.
The warning also highlights an enforcement problem on the Tank Bund promenade. Cake-cutting and a ban on littering have been in force there since November 2023, while the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation has issued specific directions against such gatherings. Despite these restrictions, visitors continue to arrive late at night and organise celebrations, according to the police.
Police personnel regularly ask groups to leave the area, but some reportedly return later to hold birthday parties. The Commissioner said the combination of late-night gatherings, young children and fast-moving vehicles made major roads particularly unsafe locations for celebrations.
The advisory covers Tank Bund as well as other major roads, areas near lakes and public parks. Mr. Sajjanar appealed to parents to discourage young people from gathering at such places late at night and asked residents to celebrate birthdays at home or in other safe locations.
The incident places renewed attention on how public spaces located beside high-speed urban roads are used after dark. Tank Bund is both a major city road and a popular public promenade, creating a setting where pedestrian activity and fast-moving traffic operate close to each other. The police said the site assessment was undertaken with multiple government departments, although the appeal did not specify the structural or traffic-management measures that may follow.
The Hyderabad Police has asked citizens to cooperate with enforcement and avoid celebrations that violate existing restrictions. Further preventive measures will be considered following the site inspection and the inter-departmental assessment, according to the Commissioner’s appeal.
