Unhinged wedding celebrations turn nuisance

Marriage parties play loud music, burst crackers late night, disturbing sleeping citizens

EVEN THOUGH police officials claim to have ensured round-the-clock patrolling, irked residents from areas like Tolichowki have time and again raised the issue.

Even as authorities plan to transform Hyderabad into ‘no-honking city’, the menace of bursting of high-decibel crackers past midnight go unchecked in different parts of the city.

Sometimes the marriage parties in celebratory mood indulge in violation around 3 am, unmindful of the impact on neighbourhood residents, particularly the elderly and children. This menace continues unabated despite tough norms in areas under south and central zones of the city police.

It’s more than a month since Ramzan and the marriage season continues within the Muslim community. Some of those whose marriage got delayed owing to reasons like pandemic are tying nuptials now.

“Crackers are burst when the barat arrives and some when they are near the marriage hall. All are mostly past midnight. This is the time when people are in sound sleep,” explains Md Mujtaba, a resident of Santosh Nagar.

Even though police officials claim to have ensured round-the-clock patrolling, irked residents from areas like Tolichowki have time and again raised the issue.

“It was past midnight on Sunday. Given the summer weather, our windows were kept open. My night sleep was disturbed with an explosive cracker sound,” said Aisha Jabeen, a sexagenarian from Tolichowki.

According to RWAs, the issue sometimes landed at the police stations but it was quite possible that it may go unchecked. “On several occasions we have complained and the police remained cooperative. Some unruly men who indulged in this were handed over to police on earlier occasions,” said Sheikh Abdullah, president of Al-Hasnath Colony in Tolichowki, where there are several function halls.

Meanwhile, police officials are not ready to agree that these instances occur right under their noses. “We regularly patrol and till 2.30 am I was patrolling on Sunday. Nothing as such has come to our notice,” assured Humayun Nagar inspector, K. Narayana Reddy.

The auspicious muhurat timings of most Hindu marriages are late night hours and past midnight. Bursting of crackers is integral to their celebrations.

Amit Sharma, a resident of Alwal, said that working in night shifts is quite an issue. “My room is close to the lane leading to the main road in my area. Often the ‘baraat’ takes this route amid loud music and bursting of crackers. I have complained several times to the police,” he said.

Karan Shah, a resident of Sindhi Colony, felt that celebrating the occasion was welcome but should not cause inconvenience to others. “I found that some of these baratis start bursting crackers right in the middle of the road, which causes inconvenience to everyone,” he said.