HYDERABAD
In a daring late-night operation, Malkajgiri’s newly appointed Police Commissioner, B Sumathi, posed as an ordinary citizen to experience the reality of women’s safety firsthand.
Standing alone at a bus stop in Dilsukhnagar past midnight, the top cop was shocked to be harassed by nearly 40 men in just a few hours.
The IPS officer, who took charge just last week, set aside her uniform and official vehicle to wait at the roadside in plain clothes. Within minutes, she was surrounded by groups of men, many of whom were visibly drunk, who made inappropriate advances and used vulgar language. Unbeknownst to the harassers, undercover police teams were stationed nearby in “mufti” (plain clothes), ready to move in as soon as the situation escalated.
The operation resulted in the detention of approximately 40 individuals, many of whom were reportedly students or job seekers from nearby hostels. Instead of immediately filing criminal charges, Commissioner Sumathi chose to personally counsel the men. She warned them about the severe legal consequences of their actions and emphasized the importance of basic respect for women in public spaces.
This “decoy” exercise has sent a powerful message across the Malkajgiri Commissionerate. Commissioner Sumathi, known for her history of bold field operations, has vowed that these surprise checks will continue. For the women of Hyderabad, the operation serves as a reminder that the city’s highest-ranking officials are now watching from the ground, determined to make the streets safe at any hour.