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The Hyderabad City Police marked the 150th birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the Iron Man of India, with a grand ‘Run for Unity’ at People’s Plaza, Necklace Road, on Friday morning. The event, organised as part of the nationwide ‘Rashtriya Ekta Diwas’ celebrations, drew nearly 5,000 participants from across the city. Parallel runs and awareness events were also held across seven police zones under the Hyderabad City Police limits, with the day’s activities aimed at reaffirming citizens’ commitment to national unity, integrity and security. The event was attended by actor and former Union Minister and Telugu actor Konidela Chiranjeevi as chief guest, along with Telangana DGP B. Sivadhar Reddy as guest of honour. They were joined by senior officers, including Director (Eagle) Sandeep Shandilya, Additional DGP (Law & Order) M.M. Bhagwat, Commissioner of Police V.C. Sajjanar, Joint CPs Tafseer Iqubal and Joel Davis, DCPs K. Shilpavalli, K. Apoorva Rao, Dhara Kavitha and Lavanya Naik Jadhav, among others. Addressing the gathering, Mr. Chiranjeevi described Sardar Patel as ‘a great blessing who unified a fragmented nation of 560 pieces into one’. He praised the Hyderabad Police for taking Patel’s message of ‘Unity in Diversity’ to the masses through such public initiatives. He also spoke about the growing threat of ‘deep fake’ technology, calling it a menace, and assured that both the DGP and Commissioner Sajjanar are personally monitoring related cases. “The public should not fear cybercrimes as the police system is fully supportive,” he added. DGP B. Sivadhar Reddy said the event was ‘more than just a run’, describing it as an inspiration for all to recommit to the idea of national unity. He lauded Sardar Patel’s determination in integrating over 560 princely states, which he said laid the foundation for a stronger and united India. Hyderabad Police Commissioner V.C. Sajjanar urged the youth to draw inspiration from Patel’s life and work towards building a better society. He also cautioned against cybercrimes, reiterating that ‘deep fake’ incidents were being treated with utmost seriousness. “We are tracing the origins of such criminal networks. Children must also understand that giving away their accounts to cybercriminals for small amounts like ₹5,000 or ₹10,000 can land them in serious legal trouble,” he said.
