Hyderabad: Cops working 24x7 for women safety in city

The Hyderabad police have been working day and night to provide a safe environment to women in the city. They have taken many measures to meet challenges, says DIG (women safety wing) B Sumathi.

In an interview to The Hans India, on the occasion of International Women's Day and completion of three years of She Teams, she explained how the police have been able to make women feel safe, by dealing effectively with criminals, stalkers and abusers. They equal stress on prevention and mitigation of crimes, too, she added.

The senior cops observed that women, being half of the population, should not only be just safe, but also feel safe, without interference of any kind or agency. "The pandemic has seen crimes proliferate against women. To deal with crimes against women in public places, we have formed She Teams. We have also come up with a lot of awareness activity because the police found in a survey that 91 per cent of people are unaware of how to communicate with the police in a secure way. This is also applicable in the cyber space. When you don't know your rights, you automatically become vulnerable to all sorts of crimes," she said.

The DIG stated that during the lockdown Hyderabad police took up a month-long awareness programme. They were able to reach 50 lakh people and explain them their rights. "The most dangerous crimes in society are human/sex/labour trafficking or begging. All these are against the Juvenile Justice Act.

Sumathi informed that for every kind of crime reported against women and children in Hyderabad, the police developed a module which works for safeguarding the rights of women. For serious sexual abuses against women Bharosa centres have been set up in city – as it is difficult for them to come to a police station and report a rape – to handle the case in a decent way and to make sure they don't feel victims in the first place. Besides, a quality investigation process has been introduced in all centres.

She feels that NRI cases are more serious to handle, as the victim is in India and the spouse abroad. Though sections are the same in India but are not applicable abroad. This is why the police are not able to deport them. For this purpose, an NRI cell has been formed, where cases will be dealt with accordingly. These are a few modules formed, such as She, sexual offences, anti-human trafficking, which will be monitored for improved functionality.

According to the cop, cybercrimes would also be monitored by She Teams. An in-depth investigation would be done and the departments concerned would be working towards the same if assistance is required, as there are only four cybercrime police stations in the State. Though there is a capacity-building in process that every Police station should have a cybercrime unit, with Cyber Warriors. "We now are focusing more on how technology can help these working modules as a force multiplier.

On this Women's Day, the only message the IPS officer has for women is to speak up and be vocal. "Women are not a weak gender. She just is another gender. Do not condition yourself saying you cannot do certain things, or vulnerable. There are enough mechanisms once you come to speak. Family should also take up a change and avoid dowry, as it starts with family. There's no point in giving equal opportunity to the girl child in education and then giving dowry."

On the Women's Day, the only message the IPS officer had for women was SPEAK UP & BE VOCAL. "Women are not a weak gender. She just is another gender. Do not condition yourself saying you cannot do certain things, or vulnerable. There are enough mechanisms once you come to speak. Family should also take up a change and avoid dowry, as it starts with family. There's no point in giving equal opportunity to the girl child in education and then giving dowry," she exhorted