Hyderabad: The cemetery of fallen soldiers who fought during World War I, St John’s Cemetery near Parade Grounds in Secunderabad, has become a hangout for drug addicts and alcoholics, despite being protected military land and partly maintained by the global body Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC).
Eleven graves of soldiers who fought for the 26th Battalion of the Hyderabad Rifles in the Indian Defence Forces are situated in the cemetery. “These graves represent the supreme sacrifice made by brave soldiers who fought for our freedom. It’s heartbreaking to see their final resting place being desecrated in this manner,” says Ajit George, property secretary of St John’s Baptist Church, which oversees the cemetery.
The situation deteriorated despite the construction of a concrete wall by the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) after repeated requests to the govt to safeguard the area. “The barbed wires on the compound wall are being jumped over, and the locks are frequently broken,” George added.
Empty liquor bottles, drug paraphernalia, and garbage make their way into the sacred ground, which are later cleared up by sanitation workers. Some adjacent civilian graves have also been vandalised by miscreants. “Unfortunately, I also saw sanitation workers themselves dump collected garbage in the access road to the cemetery. We then are compelled to clear up all the debris that is littered in the area,” said George.
Manohar Bahanwal, former manager of war graves at CWGC and currently appointed as an inspector on behalf of the commission, explained how the graves are maintained: “The responsibility of the safety of the war graves resides with the church, and we fund the cleaning and upkeep of the graves inside.” Expressing his dismay at the developments, he added, “These war graves are not just stones and concrete; they are a testament to the valour and sacrifice of soldiers who gave their lives in the great war. Their desecration is an insult to the memory of those soldiers and everything they fought for.”
Local police officials acknowledged the problem and said that proactive measures are being taken to secure the site. Begumpet sub inspector Nagaraju J, who oversees the grounds, said, “Our patrol cars go there and meticulously check from the west gate to the east gate of Parade Grounds. An anti-snatching team has also been stationed at the site to prevent any untoward incident.” Police also assured more measures to oversee the cemetery.
Eleven graves of soldiers who fought for the 26th Battalion of the Hyderabad Rifles in the Indian Defence Forces are situated in the cemetery. “These graves represent the supreme sacrifice made by brave soldiers who fought for our freedom. It’s heartbreaking to see their final resting place being desecrated in this manner,” says Ajit George, property secretary of St John’s Baptist Church, which oversees the cemetery.
The situation deteriorated despite the construction of a concrete wall by the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) after repeated requests to the govt to safeguard the area. “The barbed wires on the compound wall are being jumped over, and the locks are frequently broken,” George added.
Empty liquor bottles, drug paraphernalia, and garbage make their way into the sacred ground, which are later cleared up by sanitation workers. Some adjacent civilian graves have also been vandalised by miscreants. “Unfortunately, I also saw sanitation workers themselves dump collected garbage in the access road to the cemetery. We then are compelled to clear up all the debris that is littered in the area,” said George.
Manohar Bahanwal, former manager of war graves at CWGC and currently appointed as an inspector on behalf of the commission, explained how the graves are maintained: “The responsibility of the safety of the war graves resides with the church, and we fund the cleaning and upkeep of the graves inside.” Expressing his dismay at the developments, he added, “These war graves are not just stones and concrete; they are a testament to the valour and sacrifice of soldiers who gave their lives in the great war. Their desecration is an insult to the memory of those soldiers and everything they fought for.”
Local police officials acknowledged the problem and said that proactive measures are being taken to secure the site. Begumpet sub inspector Nagaraju J, who oversees the grounds, said, “Our patrol cars go there and meticulously check from the west gate to the east gate of Parade Grounds. An anti-snatching team has also been stationed at the site to prevent any untoward incident.” Police also assured more measures to oversee the cemetery.
