Organisers of a Durga Puja event in Gachibowli have sought preventive police action after a dispute over non-vegetarian food stalls at another puja venue in Hyderabad raised concerns about possible disruption during the celebrations. The organisers said their request was intended to protect vendors, visitors and the event’s public character.
Utsab Cultural Association, which is organising its annual Durga Puja at the National Institute of Tourism and Hospitality Management in Gachibowli, submitted a representation to Raidurgam police on Saturday. The association asked the police to maintain law and order and ensure that any objections connected with food vendors were addressed through legal channels.
Police acknowledged receiving the representation. The organisers clarified that the request was precautionary and was not directed against any individual or group. Their appeal followed an incident on Friday evening at a Durga Puja pandal at NTR Stadium on Lower Tank Bund Road, where a group led by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad objected to the sale of non-vegetarian food at a stall.
The objection led to discussions between the group and the organisers of the NTR Stadium puja. The group later claimed on social media that the organisers had provided a written assurance that non-vegetarian food stalls would not be permitted at the venue from next year. Joy Kumar Dutta of Hyderabad Bangalee Samity, which organises the NTR Stadium event, denied that such an assurance had been given.
“There has been no such communication from the committee. The matter is being discussed internally,” Dutta told The Times of India. He said discussions had taken place but no decision had been made, adding that “nothing has changed so far”.
A Domalguda police officer said individuals had approached the organisers with objections to the sale of non-vegetarian food. The organisers reportedly told them that the practice had continued for years without objection. Assistant sub-inspector V Venkateshwarlu said there was no physical altercation, but senior police officers, including the Domalguda inspector and assistant commissioner of police, reached the pandal and brought the situation under control.
Indranil Aditya, associated with the Gachibowli organisers, said the association became concerned after reports of the NTR Stadium incident. “Durga puja is a cultural and religious event open to everyone. Bengali cuisine includes both vegetarian and non-vegetarian food, and people from different backgrounds participate in the celebrations. We do not want any disharmony at the puja,” he said.
In its representation, the association expressed concern that objections to food vendors or non-vegetarian stalls could escalate into attempts to intimidate vendors or disrupt the festival. It asked the police to ensure that grievances were handled through lawful procedures rather than at the event site.
The developments follow a similar controversy involving non-vegetarian stalls at a Bengali Durga Puja event in Kompally. The Gachibowli organisers’ request places the police in a preventive law-and-order role as multiple public celebrations take place across Hyderabad. The immediate next step is for Raidurgam police to address the organisers’ representation and maintain security during the event.
