Hyderabad reports 478 sexual harassment cases in 15 days

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In just 15 days, Telangana's vigilant SHE Teams registered a total of 478 sexual harassment cases across Hyderabad. According to NDTV, the cases coincide with the Bonalu festivities and Moharram's Bibi Ka Alam prayers.

Offenders were booked for various offences related to harassment and inappropriate behaviour in crowded public gatherings during the festivities in July.

Out of the 478 cases, 386 were against adults and 92 against minors. As per the report, all arrested individuals were subjected to counselling and presented before a magistrate, who imposed fines of up to Rs 100 and issued a stern warning to all offenders.

"Repeat violations would lead to a First Information Report (FIR) being booked against them,” an official was quoted by NDTV as saying.

In the case of the 92 minors, their parents were informed and warned about their children's socially deviant behaviour. The SHE Teams, actively deploying cameras during key events for 10 days, have been instrumental in these arrests, the report added.

While speaking to NDTV, Lavanya, Superintendent of Police for the SHE Teams, reiterated their commitment to instilling confidence in women. "We want to instill confidence in women," she stated, confirming that offenders are counselled, fined, and given warnings.

SP Lavanya further emphasised that the SHE Teams operate round-the-clock, maintaining a presence at hotspots and during school and college hours to curb such incidents.

What are SHE Teams

As per the report, SHE Teams, launched on October 24, 2014, in Hyderabad, were formed as a part of the Telangana Government's vision to provide a safe and secure environment for women. At present, there are 331 SHE teams working in Telangana.