Woman in Distress Denied Police Aid at Night

Hyderabad:A video going viral on social media has raised troubling questions about women’s safety in Hyderabad. In the clip, a young woman recounts her ordeal after being stranded late at night and denied assistance by the police.

She said that on June 6 she boarded the Vijayawada–Lingampalli Intercity train, which was delayed for two hours at Bibinagar due to technical problems. By the time she reached Lingampalli, it was 1.45 am. “I was afraid to book a Rapido as the entire road was like a forest. I was scared and did not know who to call, so I called the police. But I was shocked by their reaction. They asked if there was any rule to drop me like that,” she said in the video.

The woman explained that she had remembered a campaign which promised that if a girl felt unsafe between midnight and 4 am, she could call the police for help. “I never had that problem before, but on that day I called. I was really hurt by their reaction,” she said.

She chose not to disclose her identity but shared the video to bring the matter to the notice of senior officers. “If a girl is alone at midnight and feels unsafe and asks the police for help, is there a rule to help her or not?” she asked.

Her questions have sparked debate on social media, with citizens pointing to the need for clarity and accountability in police response during late hours. “Now I want to know whether that circular is a mistake? Did I make a mistake? Did the police ignore it?” she asked, voicing her anguish.