Over 1,600, including 68 minors, held by She Teams for sexual harassment during Ganesh festival

She Teams of the Hyderabad police booked 1,612 offenders for incidents of sexual harassment and misconduct at immersion points and celebration areas across the city during the Ganesh festival.

According to officials, of those caught, 1,544 were adults and 68 were minors.

Offenders were booked under relevant provisions of law, while minors were counselled to spread awareness and prevent recurrence.

An age-wise analysis showed that 68 were under 18 years, 290 were aged between 18 and 20 years, 646 were between 21 and 30 years, 397 were in the 31–40 group, 166 were aged 41–50 years, and 45 were above 50 years.

The operation involved strategic deployment of She Teams in mufti, equipped with hidden cameras at high-footfall areas. Quick interventions ensured immediate action wherever incidents occurred, creating a safer environment for women devotees and visitors.

Out of the 1,612 cases, 168 were booked as petty offences. Seventy of these were presented before the Nampally Court, which imposed fines ranging from ₹50 (in 10 cases) to ₹1,050 (in 69 cases), and awarded simple imprisonment in one case. The remaining 98 are in the process of being produced before court.

The other 1,444 individuals were let off with strict warnings and will be called for mandatory counselling sessions, to be attended with their family members.

These sessions, conducted by professional psychiatrists and counsellors, are aimed at correcting behavioural tendencies and ensuring such misconduct is not repeated.

Meanwhile, the police issued safety alerts, urging citizens to beware of fake social media profiles, avoid oversharing personal information, and secure online accounts with strong passwords and two-factor authentication. She Teams reminded people that complaints can be made through Dial 100 or WhatsApp at 9490616555.