Hyderabad: Attention eve teasers and stalkers! Henceforth, teasing and harassing women over phone also comes under Nirbhaya Act and the offenders will now face severe consequences under the special Act for women’s safety.

The increasing number of complaints from women regarding harassment over phone lead Hyderabad police to take a decision to put a checkmate to the eve teasers and mischievous persons harassing women and girl students frequently over mobile phones by imposing Nirbhaya Act. Though, the mischievous behaviour and harassing women by using internet and electronic communication gadgets like mobiles are being booked under the IT Act, now police have decided to punish the eve teasers by applying Nirbhaya Act after confirming from legal experts that obscene talk and frequently harassing women come under IPC Section 354(D).

Police said the style of eve teasing has changed. Now, the eve teasers are adopting a new methods and ways to stalk women and girls. They are collecting the phone numbers of women doctors and beauticians from the advertisements and hoardings and harassing them by making frequent calls and offensive talking. Some are using WhatsApp by sending the victims obscene multimedia content. Recently, two female doctors and four beauticians complained of this kind of harassment, police said.

Though some are approaching ‘SHE’ teams, most of the victims of harassment over phone are not coming forward to lodge a written complaint as they are afraid of other problems. Most of the victims are also coming with conditions that their identity should not be disclosed at all, said Swathi Lakra, Additional Commissioner of Police (Law and Order).

She said the decision had been taken as there was a deluge of complaints from the victims. In a span of 30 days, we have received as many as 380 complaints saying they were getting calls in the midnight and in the early hours. Most callers are threatening the women with sexual abuses, she said adding that women who are facing such problems should come forward and complaint with ‘SHE’ teams and their identity will not be disclosed.

Meanwhile, ‘She’ Teams have conducted a mass counseling to the eve teasers at Hyderabad Commissionerate on Saturday. Total 264 eve teasers and stalkers, who were booked in 179 petty cases and 47 FIRs, were given counseling in front of their family members. 15 minors, 11 aged between 40-50 years and four above 50 years were among them who were counseled by Crime Against Women and Personality Development experts. The police said that they are taking every possible actions to curb the eve teasing in the city and also urged women to inform them through the WhatsApp number 9490617444.