Hyderabad Police Commissioner VC Sajjanar has urged residents, particularly young people and parents, to stop holding midnight birthday celebrations and cake-cutting events on Tank Bund, major roads, ponds and parks after a fatal road accident claimed the lives of a six-year-old child and a family member.
In a video message, Sajjanar said celebrations intended to bring happiness were instead causing irreparable loss to families because of impulsive decisions and negligence. He referred to a recent crash on Tank Bund at around 2 am, when a family had reportedly arrived at the location to celebrate the child’s birthday.
The police commissioner said the child and one family member died in the accident on the day of the birthday. Police personnel reached the site after receiving information and took the injured to hospital, but their efforts could not save the victims, he said.
Sajjanar said he had inspected the accident site with senior police officers and that the department was taking preventive measures to reduce the risk of similar incidents. A comprehensive review had also been conducted in coordination with various government departments, according to his statement.
He said birthdays were personal family occasions and should be celebrated at home or in other safe locations. He also warned that roads tend to see lighter traffic at midnight, encouraging vehicles to move at excessive speed. Bringing children onto roads at that time therefore created additional safety risks, he said.
Midnight birthday gatherings at Tank Bund are prohibited under existing rules, and the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation has issued instructions on the matter in the past, Sajjanar said. Police personnel have been regularly asking groups to leave the area, but some return later at night to conduct celebrations, he added.
The appeal places renewed attention on how popular public spaces are managed after dark, particularly where recreational gatherings overlap with high-speed traffic. Sajjanar asked residents to cooperate with the city police and avoid allowing momentary celebrations to put lives at risk.
