198 nabbed for harassing women in Malkajgiri in September; 215 complaints were received

Malkajgiri SHE teams arrested as many as 198 persons during September, including 31 minors, for harassing women and girls with complaints ranging from stalking and physical harassment to online blackmail and threats to share private photographs.

SHE teams received 215 complaints during the month, of which 88 related to direct or physical harassment, 68 related to harassment through social media platforms and 59 related to harassment over phone calls.

According to the Malkajgiri police, 16 criminal cases and 66 petty cases were registered while counseling was provided in 133 cases. Among those detained were 167 adults and 31 minors.

Commissioner of Police Malkajgiri B. Sumathi said the police would take strict action against those who harass women and urged victims to report such incidents without fear.

The commissioner said SHE teams conducted plainclothes decoys at bus stands, railway stations, metro stations, educational institutions, markets and other public places to identify offenders and collect evidence.

Among the cases handled during the month was that of a married woman who approached the SHE team after a man she knew before marriage allegedly threatened to share her personal photos and videos on social media.

The defendant made contact with her again and then started threatening her. He also allegedly made repeated visits to her residence, leaving her distraught and worried about the impact on her married life. The police registered a criminal complaint after it was filed.

In another case, a minor girl was harassed by a man she had befriended on Instagram. After exchanging messages, phone calls and photographs, the accused allegedly demanded nude photographs from her and asked her to travel to Secunderabad. The SHE team intervened and the accused was arrested and taken into judicial custody under the provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) Act and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offenses (POCSO) Act.

Another minor girl was allegedly blackmailed by a man she met through mutual friends at a cafe in Jubilee Hills. The defendant allegedly took her to another cafe under the pretext of celebrating his birthday, forcibly kissed her and took photos and videos without her consent.

He then threatened to share the footage with her parents. Although the harassment stopped temporarily after the girl’s mother came closer to his family, he allegedly stalked her again, making repeated phone calls and posting photos of her on Instagram. The accused was arrested and placed in judicial custody.

Decoy operations and awareness

During September, Malkajgiri SHE teams conducted 192 awareness programs reaching around 33,118 people with information on women’s rights, relevant laws and safety measures.

In separate decoys in Hyderabad Metro trains, eight men traveling in a women-only compartment were found and fined by the metro station authorities.

The police also conducted counseling sessions for the offenders at the Commissioner’s Camp Office in LB Nagar in the presence of their family members and professional counsellors.

The commissioner urged women facing harassment to contact the Malkajgiri SHE teams through WhatsApp on 8712662111 and assured them that the complaints would be addressed.

Published – 9 Oct 2026 18:59 IST