Hyderabad

ID

The High Court ofon Monday declared as ‘illegal’ an extensive night domination exercise launched by Vijayawada police, in the name of curbing the movement of criminals. The court directed the police to stop the exercise immediately and allow free movement of the people.The Vijayawada police commissionerate began the night domination operation three months ago; the police would check credentials of every person moving on the roads between 11pm and 5am. The police set up night checkposts at all junctions and even bylanes, apart from night patrols to intercept vehicles and people travelling in taxis and autos, and even pedestrians. Every day, hundreds of people were detained at police stations for failing to produce validcards. Commissioner AB Venkateswara Rao introduced the system, citing the increase in property offences, burgeoning gun culture and atrocities against women as grounds for the operation.Lawyer Tanikonda Chi-ranjeevi filed a PIL before the HC challenging the police operation. The HC, which issued an interim stay on the night domination two months ago, on Monday ruled the process was against the law and should be discontinued.