SHE Teams Tighten Crackdown On Harassment Cases

Hyderabad: SHE Teams in Malkajgiri and Cyberabad have initiated intensified action against cases of harassment, stalking and online harassment in the last few weeks, with police separating criminal and petty cases, conducting entrapment operations and counseling criminals.

Malkajgiri police commissioner B. Sumathi said police will not shy away from those who harass women and girls and urged victims to come forward without fear. Between 16 and 30 April, Malkajgiri She Teams received 86 complaints, of which 25 related to phone harassment, 29 to social media abuse and 32 to direct harassment. Police registered 10 criminal cases and 23 petty cases, while 41 people were counseled in the presence of their family members.

During the same period, police arrested 66 criminals, including five minors. Police also fined three men who were caught traveling in women’s compartments during subway trap operations.

Many cases involved allegations of blackmail, sexual assault, online harassment, and threats using private photos and videos. In one case, police arrested a man accused of sexually assaulting and blackmailing a 21-year-old student using private videos. In another, a man was arrested for allegedly sharing objectionable content targeting a female relative on social media.

Cyberabad She Teams carried out 99 decoy operations between May 2 and May 7 and caught 32 people for allegedly misbehaving in public places. Police identified 42 minor cases and counseled others. Cyberabad EHS Teams also received 17 complaints from women during the week.

Cyberabad Anti-Human Trafficking Unit rescued three victims from PITA cases and 4 boys from Juvenile Justice Act cases. Awareness programs on cyberbullying, stalking, trafficking, child rights and women’s safety have reached around 1,700 people across Siberabad, police said.