Hyderabad Police Launches Zonal Investigation Branch to Strengthen Serious Crime Probes

The Hyderabad City Police on Tuesday, October 27, launched a pilot Zonal Investigation Branch to handle complex and serious criminal cases registered across police stations, marking a significant reform in the city’s policing system.

Hyderabad Police Commissioner V.C. Sajjanar inaugurated the specialised branch at the Golconda Zone Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) office premises.

Currently, police station personnel are responsible for both law and order duties and criminal investigations. However, frequent bandobust arrangements and routine policing responsibilities often leave investigators with limited time to focus on serious cases at the field level.

To address this challenge, the new branch has been established as a pilot initiative to separate crime investigation from regular law and order duties. It will exclusively investigate grave and other serious offences registered within the Golconda Zone, ensuring greater attention to evidence collection and case preparation.

According to a police press release, the specialised team comprises two Detective Inspectors, one Sub-Inspector, one head constable and 10 constables. The team will coordinate with key government departments, including the Health Department, Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) and prosecution officials, to gather scientific evidence and prepare comprehensive charge sheets within the prescribed timelines.

The initiative is expected to improve the quality of investigations, strengthen evidence-based prosecutions and enhance the effective presentation of cases before courts. It will also reduce the investigative burden on local police stations, allowing personnel to concentrate on crime prevention and maintaining law and order.

Explaining the objective, Commissioner Sajjanar said the branch was established to ensure that bandobust and routine policing duties did not compromise the quality of criminal investigations. The team will focus on cases from registration through investigation and charge-sheet filing, he added.

The Zonal Investigation Branch will also support the Investigation Monitoring Cell, established earlier within the commissionerate, by monitoring investigations into grave cases at the zonal level.