Hyderabad: On a busy day, while waiting for her ride at a crowded bus station, it’s hard to ignore the staring and lewd smiles. Danger, it seems, lurks everywhere. Although this is a common scenario for most women across the country, the situation in Telangana is changing, thanks to the Women Safety Wing of Telangana Police.
While criminals are closely watched and create nuisance, She Teams always patrol public places in plain clothes to ensure the safety of all women.
‘We go to public places like train stations, local markets and bus stalls during rush hour, when there are a lot of people. All the She team members are dressed in ordinary clothes during such operations and we also make sure that our vehicles are kept away. We take cameras to record and take photos when we see a criminal, as we need them as evidence for the case. As soon as we arrest the perpetrator, we also talk to the victim. Only after we have all the details do we arrest the perpetrator, ”said ASI Jayraj of the Shamshabad police, who said they were carrying out at least two such operations at different crowded places every day.
Counseling with family
The officers also advise the offenders as a corrective measure.
“We do not just give them advice. We also call all the women of their family and show them the ties and photos of their son / brother. This way the family is informed about what this person is doing, and they also keep an eye on them, ”says Sunitha, She Team Inspector (Cyberabad).
But solving a crime is not an easy task. ‘There are various problems we face. When we are in a public place, friends of evildoers often attack us because we are dressed in civilian clothes and they do not know that we are from the police. So sometimes the situation becomes serious. Another problem we face is dealing with cybercrime. Network companies often issue mobile SIM cards without checking documents. In such cases, it is difficult to find the perpetrators. But our team members have been trained to handle such cases now, ”explains Sunitha.
Telangana’s She Teams, a groundbreaking effort in the country that is now being repeated in other states, has worked tirelessly to make the state’s environment safer for all. A total of eleven She Teams in the city are dealing with all sorts of gender-based matters. Speaking about the teams, Sumathi Badugula, DIG, CID, Women Protection Cell: ‘Our motto is to ensure that all women in society feel safe. While we are still walking into the police stations, people prefer to WhatsApp us their complaints. The teams are working to resolve each issue as soon as possible. She adds, ‘Even during the pandemic, the She Teams took no breath. Along with the Covid-19 we have done several online awareness campaigns for young girls and women. ”
The awareness programs led by the She Teams also helped them stop many crimes before they happened. On one such issue, Jayraj talks, ‘In 2019 we did some awareness programs in local schools about good and bad touch. During the same year, a child, a Class II student, came to us and reported on a man who had made her uncomfortable. It saved a huge crime from happening. ‘
Source: Telangana Today