Telangana Highlights Women’s Safety Measures in NHRC Review

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Telangana’s top police officials have assured the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) that the state has implemented stringent mechanisms to protect women, with specialised units and targeted programs aimed at preventing harassment and supporting victims. The update was given during a regional review meeting chaired by NHRC chairperson Justice V. Ramasubramanian at the Dr. MCR Human Resource Development Institute in Hyderabad.

Telangana Director General of Police (DGP) Dr. Jitender briefed the NHRC on the state’s dedicated Women Safety Wing, led by an Additional DGP, which oversees a range of initiatives. Among these are 31 Bharosa Centres, functioning as one-stop crisis facilities offering legal aid, medical care, and counselling to women in distress. In addition, 331 She Teams actively patrol public spaces to deter harassment and ensure safer streets, particularly in high-density, cosmopolitan areas of Hyderabad. Public awareness drives are regularly conducted to complement law enforcement efforts.

The review was attended by NHRC members Vijaya Bharathi Sayani and Justice Bidyut Ranjan Sarangi, along with Telangana State Human Rights Commission (TSHRC) chairman Justice Shri Shamim Akhtar. Senior officials from the police, prison, and home departments, including Special Chief Secretary (Home) Ravi Gupta, Director General (Prisons) Soumya Mishra, and Cyberabad Police Commissioner Avinash Mohanty, also participated.

Additional DGP (Women Safety Wing) Charu Sinha outlined a series of allied programs, such as Operation Muskan and Operation Smile, which have been credited with rescuing hundreds of victims of trafficking and child labor. She also noted the establishment of dedicated cells to address specific concerns, including Non-Resident Indian (NRI) complaints, transgender rights, and SAHAS (Support, Aid, Help and Assistance for Survivors), a unit focused on providing targeted assistance to victims. Data collection on the transgender community is ongoing to help design tailored policing strategies and welfare measures.

The Telangana police leadership emphasized that these initiatives are designed to deliver both preventive and responsive solutions to crimes against women and vulnerable groups, reflecting a structured approach to law enforcement and victim support.

This meeting reaffirmed the NHRC’s role in monitoring human rights safeguards across states and highlighted Telangana’s multi-pronged strategy to improve public safety, especially for women. The NHRC is expected to assess the progress of these measures in its forthcoming reports, ensuring accountability and sustained efforts in upholding citizens’ rights.