The Hindu : New Delhi News : Girls protest molestation and harassment

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Sep 20, 2007
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New Delhi

New Delhi

Girls protest molestation and harassment

Staff Reporter

Photo: Anu Pushkarna

Up in arms:I.P. College students demonstrating outside the Delhi Police headquarters on Wednesday.

NEW DELHI: A large number of Delhi University students held a demonstration outside the Vice-Chancellor’s Office on Wednesday protesting against molestation and harassment of girls allegedly by candidates appearing at an examination for recruitment of policemen and lower division clerks on the university campus this past Sunday.

The demonstration was led by girls of Indraprastha College for Women who were later joined by students from other colleges protesting against “police inaction” in dealing with the issue.

“In separate incidents the girls of our college were molested by some persons who had appeared in the examination for lower division clerks. One girl had gone to buy medicines when some men tried to fondle her. She got scratches on her neck. In the other case, some girls were travelling on a cycle-rickshaw when several men tried to get on to it,” said an Indrapastha College student.

The college authorities said they met the Station House Officer of the Civil Lines police station in the morning but the students were “not satisfied” by his “assurance”.

“The SHO assured us that such an incident will not happen again and asked us to forget about it. That’s when we decided to march to the Vice-Chancellor’s Office,” said a student.The university authorities assured the students that they would take action within the next two days. Later the students also met Joint Commissioner of Police (Northern Region) P. R. Meena, who also promised action by Friday.

On Wednesday , taking suo motu notice of the matter, the National Commission for Women organised an emergency meeting with Police Commissioner Y. S. Dadwal, Delhi University Vice-Chancellor Deepak Pental and Proctor Gurmeet Singh.

Expressing deep concern over the issue, Mr. Dadwal said the police were seeking the victims’ cooperation in identifying the culprits.

Briefing reporters later, NCW chairperson Girija Vyas demanded that the number of women constables in and around the campus be increased: “There have been frequent reports about girls not being safe on the campus…. Mr. Dadwal has promised that an FIR will be lodged in the case where a girl was allegedly molested in a lift at the University Metro station. We are not just looking at a solution to this problem but also long-term measures.”

Later at night, the police suspended the Mukherjee Nagar SHO and two area head constables. on charges of showing insensitivity in dealing with the complaints. “An FIR was lodged at both the Mukherjee Nagar and Maurice Nagar police stations, said the Delhi Police spokesperson.

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