SHE teams of the Hyderabad police have registered 3,516 cases of harassment against women in the state, since its inception three years ago on October 26. The police teams said that they have caught 1,400 persons red-handed so far.
In an official press release, police informed that the teams have imprisoned 20% of the accused, levied penalty against 80%, while 950 others were let off after being counselled.
Among the accused caught red-handed, 363 were minors and 1,101 were adults. In this list, 85 persons were booked under Nirbhaya Act, informed police.
Speaking to TNM, SHE team member, Assistant Commissioner of Police, D Kavitha, said that the harassment against women at public places has gradually reduced.
She said that initiatives like SHE teams were much required to ensure safety of women.
SHE teams were formed in October 2014 and were restricted to Hyderabad initially. They have now spread to all the districts of Telangana.
Kavita said, “We nabbed several minors during our checks. We called their parents and counselled them against repeating the crime. They might think that it is fun to harass girls. But harassment is not fun, it is a crime.”
In Hyderabad, there are over 100 SHE teams, who receive complaints over WhatsApp, through letters and via the police app-Hawk eye. Discreetly placed cameras capture the harassment and help detain the accused. Due to this solid evidence of recordings, most of the accused are convicted, she explained.
Each SHE team comprises five undercover women police personnel, who have been provided with discreet cameras to record acts of harassment.
The teams are not just restricted to acting against harassment of women in public, but also against online harassment. The SHE teams are headed by Assistant Commissioner of Police, Swati Lakra.