Hyderabad Police unveils AHTU, Juvenile Units, and Telangana’s first Victim Assistance Unit with Prajwala NGO
Hyderabad: The Hyderabad City Police on Tuesday inaugurated revamped infrastructure and formally launched three specialised wings aimed at countering trafficking and protecting vulnerable groups. These include the Anti-Human Trafficking Unit (AHTU), the Juvenile Bureau (JB) Unit, and Telangana’s first dedicated Victim Assistance Unit (VAU), the last established in collaboration with the NGO Prajwala.
The inauguration took place at the Central Crime Station and was led by Hyderabad City Police Commissioner CV Anand IPS. The restructuring stems from G.O. Ms. No. 32 issued in April 2023 and was formalised under G.O. Ms. No. 57 dated April 24, 2025, which sanctioned dedicated personnel for each unit.
The AHTU, placed under the Women Safety Wing, now has eight sanctioned staff: one Inspector, two Sub-Inspectors, two Head Constables, and three Police Constables. It is tasked with identifying trafficking hotspots—online and offline conducting intelligence-led rescue operations, and pursuing legal follow-up on cases. In 2025, the AHTU registered 23 cases, rescued 44 victims, and arrested 71 persons.
The Juvenile Bureau, also designated the Special Juvenile Police Unit (SJPU), operates with a team of seven. Based out of CCS Hyderabad, the SJPU focuses on child trafficking, labour violations, and repatriation of missing juveniles. This year, the unit repatriated 11 children across states and rescued 896 children under Operation Smile and Operation Muskan.
The Victim Assistance Unit (VAU), launched in association with Prajwala NGO, is the first centre of its kind in Telangana. It offers post-rescue legal and psychological support, prepares survivors for court testimonies, and connects them to rehabilitation services and welfare schemes. The unit will be run by Prajwala staff and supervised by the DCP, Women Safety Wing.
The event was attended by senior police officials including Additional CP Crime & SIT P. Vishwa Prasad IPS, DCPs N. Swetha and Lavanya NJP, Prajwala founder Dr. Sunitha Krishnan, ACP AHT Prasanna Laxmi, and Inspectors Sunitha Surve and K. Madhulatha.
The reorganisation signals a concentrated push by Hyderabad Police to institutionalise its approach to trafficking, ensure continuity in victim care, and enhance field-level enforcement.