Hyderabad police bans DJ music for upcoming Navaratri, Dasara celebrations

The Hyderabad police had been planning to enforce the ban during the recently concluded Ganesh festival. However, they expedited their decision after a generator caught fire during the Milad-un-Nabi festival.

Hyderabad: In a meeting with the city police, DJ music system providers have been instructed not to supply the sound system for the upcoming Navaratri and Dasara celebrations, between October 3 and October 12.

Citing the Telangana High Court’s recent order that disallows loud music from 10 pm to 6 am, the Goshamahal assistant commissioner of police (ACP) Kotla Venkat Reddy has directed DJ sound system providers not to supply music for ‘dandiya gatherings’.

The police had been planning to enforce the ban during the recently concluded Ganesh festival. However, they expedited their decision after a generator caught fire during the Milad-un-Nabi festival.

One of the main reasons to impose the ban is several complaints from the general public, health risks of those standing near the sound system alongside rising noise pollution.

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The other reason is poor communication among police officers who use walkie-talkies called man-packs or transceivers for internal communication in their daily routine. The communication network runs on different frequencies and at any point in time, a message or instruction can be delivered to a few hundred or even more officers and men who are available on the particular channel frequency.

“Due to the loud music, officers are unable to hear the instructions passed on the walkie talkie leading to confusion and mismanagement during big processions,” pointed out an official of the Hyderabad police.

The police on field level issue instructions using a whistle to the ‘jamiat’ (police contingent) for various tasks including dispersing mob, calling for roll call, nabbing a fleeing offender or rogue element etc. “In situations where the DJ’s music is played, the officers are unable to convey the instructions through the whistle to the men often leading to delay in handling ugly situations,” the official added.

In a similar meeting held on Thursday attended by political party leaders, public representatives, organizers of various professions and other stakeholders, a majority supported the decision.