Police Action in Hyderabad (1948), officially known as Operation Polo, was a swift Indian military operation launched by Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru’s government to annex the princely state of Hyderabad. Lasting just five days, it ended the Nizam’s rule and formally integrated the state into the Indian Union.

Though largely forgotten for decades, the episode has recently drawn renewed attention from historians, writers, and political commentators. Among these efforts, Zeenath Khan’s debut novel, The Sirens of September, stands out as one of the first major works of fiction set in this turbulent period, offering readers a poignant, deeply researched portrayal of modern Hyderabad’s most defining moment.

Khan spent nearly eight years on the book, combining meticulous historical research with an intimate understanding of the city’s culture and traditions. Through the tragic love story of two youngsters from prominent families: Farishteh Ali Khan and Saleem El Edroos, she captures the political, emotional, and social upheavals of the late 1940s. Her fast-paced narrative, layered with authentic detail, revives a long-neglected chapter of Indian history for a new generation of readers.

Set between 1946 and 1948, the novel intertwines real and fictional characters, vividly reimagining one of modern India’s most dramatic transitions. From arms smuggler Sydney Cotton to the commander of Hyderabad’s...

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