Telangana to set up 'Bharosa' centres across state

Hyderabad: Telangana Home minister Nayini Narasimha Reddy today said the government will set up 'Bharosa', an integrated support centre for women and children in all districts of the state. 'Bharosa', an initiative of Hyderabad City Police, is a state-of-the-art centre to support women and children who are victims of violence. The first 'Bharosa' centre was inaugurated here in May last year.

Reddy after participating in the annual Governing Body meeting of 'Bharosa', said it has been decided to start similar centres in all 31 districts of the state besides one more in Old City of Hyderabad. 'Bharosa' provides police, prosecution, medical, legal, psycho therapeutic counselling, relief and rehabilitation services all under one roof. Since its inception a total of 1,931 victims approached 'Bharosa' centre with a range of problems to seek help. Of these 1,432 sought aid with regard to domestic violence.

The centre is equipped with well-trained staff and modern gadgets, including facilities like video conferencing, so that the victims need not go to the court, Additional Commissioner of Police (Crimes and SIT) Swati Lakra said. The Hyderabad 'Bharosa' Centre will act as an umbrella agency towards setting up more such centres in the districts, Lakra added.

As many as 213 "161CrPC Statements”" have been recorded by a woman inspector or woman sub-inspector of police and 31 statements of POCSO Act and rape case victims were recorded through video-conference by the Magistrate under Section 164 CrPC. "Bharosa is intended to support women affected by violence in private and public spaces, within the family, community and at the workplace," she added.