Massive police presence in Hyderabad as BRS leaders, including K.T. Rama Rao, gear up for the ‘Chalo Bus Bhavan’ protest demanding the rollback of the RTC bus fare hike.

Hyderabad: Heavy police deployment was witnessed across Hyderabad on Thursday morning as authorities prepared for the Bharat Rashtra Samithi’s (BRS) ‘Chalo Bus Bhavan’ protest against the recent RTC bus fare hike. The deployment included police stationed near the homes of key BRS leaders, including K.T. Rama Rao, T. Harish Rao, and T. Srinivas Yadav, as well as around the Rathifile bus stand in Secunderabad — the main protest site.

BRS leaders had planned to gather at the Rathifile bus stand at 9 a.m. and travel by RTC bus to the Bus Bhavan to submit a memorandum to the corporation’s Managing Director. However, police presence around the leaders’ residences raised concerns among party members about potential restrictions.

Responding to reports of house arrests, Rajendranagar DCP Yogesh Goutam clarified that officers were deployed only for security and crowd management. “The leaders had already left for the Bus Bhavan. The deployment was preventive, to manage gatherings and maintain order,” he said.

The BRS’s official X handle shared videos showing police stationed outside K.T. Rama Rao’s gated community in Kokapet, alleging that the Revanth Reddy government was using force to silence peaceful protests. Rama Rao also took to social media, questioning the heavy police action. “All I wanted was to board an RTC bus and submit a letter demanding the rollback of the fare hike. Is this democracy?” he posted.

He further criticized the government’s priorities, remarking, “If only the police showed the same energy in tackling Hyderabad’s rising crime rate as they do in stopping citizens from protesting.”

Analysis: The protest marks a new flashpoint between the ruling Congress and the opposition BRS, highlighting growing political tension over rising public transport costs. For many commuters already burdened by inflation, the fare hike has become a rallying point for opposition politics. The strong police presence underscores the state’s cautious approach to maintaining law and order but also risks being perceived as an overreach that curtails the democratic right to dissent.