Hyderabad, November 15: It is not only pro-Telangana activists that has Cyberabad police on their toes near the Rajiv Gandhi International stadium at Uppal, where the second Test between India-New Zealand is going on. Police are also on the look out for automobile thieves who might strike during the five-day match.
Special teams have been pressed to keep a tab on vehicle lifters near the stadium. “With an expected large turnout on Sunday, there was a possibility of car thieves taking advantage,” a Cyberabad police officer said.
Cyberabad police commissioner S Prabhakar Reddy said special teams had been deployed in the vicinity of the stadium to nab any prospective vehicle lifters. The teams would maintain vigil during the remaining two days.
Police, however, claimed it was just a precautionary measure. “Only one vehicle lifting case from near the stadium was registered with us during the past three days. The vehicle was not parked in the parking lot,’’ Uppal police inspector R Satyanarayana Raju said.
Though police said vehicles could not be stolen from designated parking lots, they fear vehicles parked outside by last minute ticket purchasers might be targeted.
Meanwhile, reacting to reports of vendors selling eatables and water at a higher rate, Prabhakar Reddy said special teams would also move in the stadium to take action. “We warn sellers of action if eatables and water are sold above prescribed prices,’’ he said.
Vendors were reportedly fleecing spectators by selling water and eatables at a higher price on the first two days. But on Sunday, the situation improved a little with prices coming down. “We visited some stalls and found eatables and water being sold at normal prices,’’ the inspector said. It was also learnt that the Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) also supplied water packets to spectators.
–Agencies