In the wake of recent Delhi rape incident,  Andhra Wishesh team carried out a drive across the city to find out if Hyderabad was a safe place. Unfortunately, it isn't in the words of many girls and young women who complained to our team that harassment that they go through at many bus stops in the city. Even our team found out the way men were trying to approach these women but on seeing our team, they fled from the scene. Here are some of the places that women-time and again-go through series of comments passed by miscreants.

• Srinagar bus stop: Our team noticed that several youth pass lewd comments on the girls.

• Secunderabad railway station main bus stand: The main bus stop, from where buses leave for Mehedipatnam, in Secunderabad is a crowded place. With so many people trying to search for buses and with the horns of buses, no one would really pay concentration on the surroundings. We often presume that bustling streets are safe. Take time and observe around, you will notice a bunch of youths who stare at women. Same is the situation at Secunderabad bus stop. When women pass by the lane next to Alfa Hotel, several youths pass lewd comments and they even try to approach them.

• Koti Sultan Bazar: This is another bustling street wherein women throng to purchase fancy items. However, you can also observe some youths who would be wandering aimlessly. They pass comments and try to approach the women on streets in the pretext of searching for some stores or items.

• Nagole: There's a wine shop just behind the bus stop. Although our team didn't see anyone commenting, but staring at women standing in bus stops was observed. Also, our team was shocked to note the way people booze outside the wine shop and in the open place next to that place.

  Measures:

The Hyderabad police should take up the matter seriously. In fact, the above mentioned places are just examples. There could be many more places wherein women might feel unsafe. Andhra Wishesh strongly advocates and demands that following measures should be adopted at these places with immediate effect as situation at these places was alarming.

• At least three constables including women police should be asked to picket at all these places

• Two cops should be allowed to sit in a building and observe the area with binoculars or telescopes. If they suspect that a group is laughing or looking at a woman/girl, they should immediately alert the nearby constables and apprehended

• Posters should be stuck to the walls, by the police, that eve teasers would not be spared with illustrations since most of the eve teasers are apparently uneducated

• Media should also keep an eagle eye on these areas

• One or two constables should be ordered to picket the areas in civil to take note of regular eve teasers

While uproar is going on across the country over Delhi rape, perverts in the country are still resorting to heinous crimes. Women in Hyderabad too are seriously worried over the same. Let us stop Hyderabad from hitting headlines for Hyderabad. Let us all join hands and not rely entirely on police. Wherever such incident takes place (eve teasing), let us condemn it and safeguard women.

(issued in the interest of the public)

(AW Phani)