Hyderabad Police Commissioner Goes Undercover in Midnight to Check Safety of Women
B. Sumathi went undercover at midnight in Hyderabad to test women’s safety, leading to the detention and counselling of 40 men.
A late-night undercover operation by B. Sumathi, the first woman Police Commissioner of Malkajgiri, has gone viral on social media.
Soon after taking charge on 1 May 2026, Sumathi decided to personally assess how safe women are on the streets at night. Dressed in a simple salwar suit and carrying only a mobile phone, she stood alone near the Dilsukhnagar Bus Stop from 12:30 am to 3:30 am without informing local police.
During the operation, nearly 40 men approached or gathered around her. Some attempted to talk to her, while others watched her closely. Police patrol vehicles passed by several times, unaware that the Commissioner herself was standing there.
At around 3:30 am, a constable recognised her, and additional officers arrived. Following the operation, all 40 men were detained and later counselled in the presence of their families. Most were college students staying in nearby hostels or rented rooms.
The incident prompted intensified night patrolling in the area, with drones, local police teams, and She Teams deployed to improve women’s safety.
This was not Sumathi’s first such mission. About 25 years ago, while serving as a Deputy Superintendent of Police near Kazipet Railway Station, she carried out a similar undercover exercise to understand the challenges women face in public spaces.
