Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy and Chief Secretary K. Ramakrishna Rao along with others senior officials at the National Solidarity Rally from the State Secretariat to Necklace Road in Hyderabad on Thursday.
| Photo Credit: NAGARA GOPAL

Standing under the statue of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on the fringes of the Hussainsagar as patriotic songs rent the air and slogans of ‘Jai Hind’ and ‘Vande Mataram’ echoed through NTR Marg. It wasn’t just another evening on the city’s busiest lakeside road — Hyderabad was on its feet, in solidarity with the Indian armed forces.

More than 2,300 personnel from Telangana’s Fire Department, Disaster Response Force, Police, Special Protection Force (SPF), elite counter-terror unit Organisation for Counter Terrorists Operations (OCTOPUS) and police officials from the tri-commissionerates lined up outside the Secretariat complex on Thursday, for the 1 kilometre-odd solidarity rally.

Among them marched 70 to 80 veterans of the Indian Army, Air Force, and paramilitary forces — many in uniform, some in civil, all wearing emotion on their sleeves. Joining them were top officials from the State administration and a contingent of 150 women officers from various wings of the Telangana Police.

Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, IT Minister D. Sridhar Babu and Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar along with other senior political representatives also joined the rally.

The national flag flew high across the 250-metre-long stretch of people, carried by participants and spectators alike. As dusk fell, the rally route, bordered by the shimmering waters of Tank Bund, glowed under floodlights, turning the evening into a visual tribute to patriotism.

The rally came against the backdrop of heightened tensions between India and Pakistan following the terrorist strike in Pahalgam, Kashmir, on April 22. Organised by the Telangana government, the event aimed to send a message of unity and support to the armed forces deployed along the border.

“The solidarity rally was our way of standing firmly behind the army at the border — a message that they are not alone,” said Rajender Sohni, a retired Indian Air Force officer. “It’s also a clear signal that India will not let those responsible go unpunished. The attack on innocent people in Pahalgam cannot be ignored. The Defence Ministry has made it clear: justice will be served, and until that happens, we will not rest.”

For Captain Bandi Venu, an ex-serviceman, the day stirred memories of his time in uniform. “I felt the same spirit today that I carried during my years in the Army,” he said.

Veteran G.K. Rao, recipient of the National Seva Ratna, said, “We may be veterans, but we are still soldiers at heart — young in spirit and fierce in purpose. To the terrorists infiltrating our motherland: we challenge you. We have struck nine times already, and we will find every corner you hide in. We are ready to serve until our last breath — for the safety and future of our youth.”

Retired Flying Officer M.A.R. Hussain praised the young Indian Air Force pilots who took part in Operation Sindoor for their excellence in flying capabilities. “The precision and bravery they have shown in destroying the terrorist camps is commendable,” he said.

Over 600 Hyderabad Commissionerate officials were deployed for security and crowd management during the rally, which passed peacefully.

HYDERABAD: Three junior commandos of Greyhounds, Telangana’s elite anti-Naxalite force, were killed and an assistant assault commander was critically injured in a landmine blast triggered by Maoists near the Telangana-Chhattisgarh border in Mulugu district on Thursday.This is the first instance of police casualties in anti-Maoist operations in the state since 2024 and comes a day after 22 Maoists were killed in an encounter in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur.Thursday’s ambush by a group of 40 Maoists took place around 6 am in the Wazeedu-Perur forest region, where Greyhounds and Mulugu district special police teams were conducting counter-insurgency sweeps to detect improvised explosive devices (IEDs).Reds may have had intel on police movementsDirector general of police Jitender, in a statement, said: “While search operations were underway in the Nugur forest near Peddagutta, 4 km northeast of Penugolu village, around 35-40 Maoists, including armed women cadres, ambushed the police and triggered landmines from a distance. This was followed by heavy, indiscriminate gunfire targeting the police team. The Maoists fled when the police retaliated in self-defence.”Sources said the insurgents may have had prior intelligence about police movements.“We received alerts regarding Maoist presence in Wazeedu. The Greyhounds team was deployed to investigate when the ambush occurred,” confirmed a senior police official.Authorities, however, denied reports that the Maoists looted weapons from the slain personnel.Maoists issued warningsMulugu district superintendent of police P Shabarish said that Maoists had planted multiple IEDs in the Karregutta forest and issued posters on April 8 warning Adivasi residents to avoid the area.“To ensure safety of Adivasi villagers, our teams have been routinely conducting bomb detection and disposal operations. During one such mission on Thursday morning, a landmine exploded, claiming the lives of three of our commandos,” the SP said.The deceased were identified as Vadla Sridhar, N Pavan Kalyan and T Sandeep, all junior commandos of constable rank. Reserve sub-inspector Ranadhir was critically injured in the gunfire and was airlifted to a private hospital in Hyderabad for treatment.The bodies of the slain commandos were transported to Warangal govt hospital for post-mortem. Minister Seethakka, Jitender, and Greyhounds chief M Stephen Raveendra paid tributes to the slain commandos.Manhunt underwayA case was registered at the Wazeedu police station under several provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Arms Act, Explosive Substances Act, and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.“Efforts are underway to apprehend the Maoist cadres responsible for the attack,” the DGP said.Mulugu and Bhadradri Kothagudem, which share a border with Chhattisgarh, remain the most Maoist-affected districts in Telangana. Over 250 Maoists, primarily from Chhattisgarh, have surrendered in these districts so far this year.The Greyhounds, often called India’s most effective anti-Naxalite force, are known for their precision and low casualty rates. The last fatality in the unit occurred in Feb 2024, when junior commando A Praveen was electrocuted by a poacher-laid wire trap during a sweep in Jayashankar Bhupalpally district.In Sept 2024, two commandos were injured in a gunfight in Mothe village, and in 2020, Reserve SI Aditya Sai Kumar died in an accidental discharge incident in Chennapuram forest.

Thane: In a significant political development ahead of the Thane Municipal Corporation election, seven former corporators from the NCP (SP), all close associates of MLA Jitendra Awhad, switched allegiance to the Shiv Sena on Thursday. The induction took place in Mumbai in the presence of Shiv Sena chief and Dy CM Eknath Shinde. The group includes former opposition leader Milind Patil and six others from the Kalwa-Parsik area, a key NCP (SP) stronghold.Kalwa ward, with 16 seats, previously had a 9:7 tally favouring NCP (SP), with the rest aligned with the Shiv Sena. With one NCP (SP) corporator already joining the Shiv Sena earlier and another announcing retirement, Thursday’s move effectively gives the Shiv Sena a majority in the ward.Observers say this realignment may not only weaken Awhad’s grip on the ward, which is part of his assembly constituency, but also bolster Shiv Sena’s standing ahead of the civic polls.The inductions also give the Shiv Sena an edge over the BJP, which was eyeing recruitment in the region to improve its position in the Thane civic house. Currently, 78 of 135 former corporators from across parties in Thane and suburbs are now associated with the Shiv Sena. Kalwa’s strategic importance, lying within the Kalyan Lok Sabha seat represented by Shinde’s son, MP Shrikant Shinde, makes the defections a major win for the Shiv Sena as it consolidates control over both local and parliamentary segments in the region.Even as no specific reasons were cited by the new entrants, observers hint that better election prospects and access to development funds may have motivated their shift. The Shiv Sena credited their party’s 24×7 commitment towards the development of the state and Shinde’s leadership as reasons behind growing support. “This is not just about elections — many leaders want to work with us daily,” Shinde said, hinting at more inductions soon. Thane: In a significant political development ahead of the Thane Municipal Corporation election, seven former corporators from the NCP (SP), all close associates of MLA Jitendra Awhad, switched allegiance to the Shiv Sena on Thursday. The induction took place in Mumbai in the presence of Shiv Sena chief and Dy CM Eknath Shinde. The group includes former opposition leader Milind Patil and six others from the Kalwa-Parsik area, a key NCP (SP) stronghold.Kalwa ward, with 16 seats, previously had a 9:7 tally favouring NCP (SP), with the rest aligned with the Shiv Sena. With one NCP (SP) corporator already joining the Shiv Sena earlier and another announcing retirement, Thursday’s move effectively gives the Shiv Sena a majority in the ward. Observers say this realignment may not only weaken Awhad’s grip on the ward, which is part of his assembly constituency, but also bolster Shiv Sena’s standing ahead of the civic polls.The inductions also give the Shiv Sena an edge over the BJP, which was eyeing recruitment in the region to improve its position in the Thane civic house. Currently, 78 of 135 former corporators from across parties in Thane and suburbs are now associated with the Shiv Sena. Kalwa’s strategic importance, lying within the Kalyan Lok Sabha seat represented by Shinde’s son, MP Shrikant Shinde, makes the defections a major win for the Shiv Sena as it consolidates control over both local and parliamentary segments in the region.Even as no specific reasons were cited by the new entrants, observers hint that better election prospects and access to development funds may have motivated their shift. The Shiv Sena credited their party’s 24×7 commitment towards the development of the state and Shinde’s leadership as reasons behind growing support. “This is not just about elections — many leaders want to work with us daily,” Shinde said, hinting at more inductions soon.