Cyberabad SHE Teams apprehend 37 persons in decoy operations against harassment of women

Cyberabad SHE Teams apprehended 37 persons for alleged indecent behaviour, eve-teasing and harassment of women in public places during 116 decoy operations held across the Cyberabad Police Commissionerate between September 26 and October 2. The teams also booked 56 petty cases, a category used for minor offences, during the week, according to the Women and Child Safety Wing of Cyberabad Police.

The Wing said it received 15 complaints from women through various reporting channels during the same period.

SHE Teams operate across Telangana and were set up to address harassment of women in public spaces. In these operations, women officers, often supported by male colleagues, work in plain clothes in crowded locations such as bus stops, markets, metro stations and parks. In a decoy operation, officers position themselves where offences can be observed and acted upon at once.

In a separate case, the Anti-Human Trafficking Unit (AHTU) rescued three victims and apprehended two accused under the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, the law that deals with trafficking of persons for commercial sexual exploitation.

Alongside enforcement, Family Counselling Centres and CDEW centres intervened in marital disputes during the week, with efforts made to reunite 33 families.

The AHTU and SHE Teams also held awareness programmes at various locations across Cyberabad, reaching around 3,407 people. The sessions covered human trafficking, child trafficking, eve-teasing, harassment on social media, child marriage, child rights, child labour, stalking, begging, cyberbullying and cyber fraud.

Participants were briefed about emergency and reporting helplines, including the police emergency number 112 and the women's helpline 181. Outreach of this kind is meant to reach people who may not otherwise approach the police, including students and employees at workplaces.

In another initiative, the SHE Teams, along with the Society for Cyberabad Security Council (SCSC), conducted a women's awareness and self-defence bootcamp at New Relic in Raheja Mindspace on September 30. More than 40 employees participated. The programme focused on safety awareness, legal rights, reporting mechanisms, emergency response and practical self-defence techniques.

The figures released by the Wing cover both preventive enforcement and public outreach for a single week. Women facing harassment can approach the nearest police station or dial 112, while the women's helpline 181 is available for those seeking assistance or counselling. Persons accused in the cases are entitled to the presumption of innocence until the matters are decided by a court.