Malkajgiri CP’s midnight test uncovers urban safety lapses

metro india news  I hyderabad

Barely five days after taking charge as Malkajgiri Police Commissioner IPS officer Sumathi posed as a decoy and carried out a surprise ground-level inspection at Dilsukhnagar bus stand in Hyderabad to assess real-time security conditions.

Around midnight at 12 a.m., she entered the bus stand in plain clothes, disguising herself as an ordinary woman, deliberately avoiding any police presence to observe the situation first hand. However, the situation soon turned alarming when she was approached and surrounded by a group of miscreants who did not recognize her identity.

The individuals reportedly made vulgar and inappropriate remarks, asking her if she would “come along” and questioning “what’s your rate” and how much she would take. The behaviour continued unchecked for hours, exposing the lack of visible policing at the location.

For nearly three-and-a-half hours, no patrol vehicle or police personnel reached the spot. During this period, the group allegedly grew more aggressive, while officials observed that several individuals present were students and job seekers, with some suspected to be under the influence of alcohol and ganja.

The situation continued until around 3:30 a.m., when a beat constable finally arrived at the scene. Only then was the officer’s identity revealed. An SI rushed to the spot and immediately saluted her after realizing she was the Malkajgiri Police Commissioner IPS Sumathi.

Following the incident, police detained around 40 miscreants involved in the disturbance. They were taken into custody and later given counselling. Authorities issued strict warnings regarding substance abuse, public nuisance, and indecent behaviour in public spaces.

The incident has sparked concern over urban night safety, especially as even a senior IPS officer in disguise faced harassment, raising serious questions about the vulnerability of ordinary women in similar situations.