Hyderabad Police Commissioner VC Sajjanar has urged residents, particularly young people and parents, to avoid midnight birthday celebrations and cake-cutting gatherings at Tank Bund, main roads, ponds and parks after a fatal road accident involving a family at Tank Bund.
In a video message, Sajjanar said celebrations meant to be occasions of happiness were resulting in irreversible loss because of impulsive behaviour and negligence. He recalled a recent accident that occurred at about 2 am, when a family had gone to Tank Bund to celebrate the birthday of a six-year-old child.
The child and one family member died in the crash on the day of the birthday, according to the commissioner’s account. Police reached the location after receiving information about the accident and took the injured to hospital in an attempt to save them, but the efforts were unsuccessful.
Sajjanar said he had inspected the accident site with senior police officers and that preventive measures were being planned to reduce the possibility of similar incidents. A comprehensive review had also been conducted in coordination with various government departments, he said, without detailing the specific measures under consideration.
The commissioner said midnight gatherings on public roads were particularly risky because traffic volumes are lower and vehicles can be driven at excessive speeds. He advised families not to bring children onto roads at that time and said birthdays should instead be celebrated at home or in other safe locations.
Midnight birthday celebrations at Tank Bund are prohibited under existing rules, Sajjanar said, pointing to earlier instructions issued by the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation. Police personnel have been regularly asking groups to leave the area, but the commissioner said some people return later at night to continue celebrating.
The warning highlights a recurring challenge for public authorities managing popular waterfront and open-space destinations: preventing unsafe gatherings without waiting for a serious incident to expose gaps in enforcement. Tank Bund’s roads and public spaces attract residents at night, but the commissioner’s account indicates that enforcement action has not fully stopped people from returning after being asked to leave.
Sajjanar appealed to residents to cooperate with the city police and avoid decisions that could put children and other family members at risk. The police and other government departments are expected to continue reviewing safety measures at Tank Bund following the site inspection and inter-departmental assessment.
