Punishment for those Involved in Molestation in DU.

JOINT ACTION COMMITTEE
DELHI UNIVERSITY COMMUNITY


Memorandum

Home Minister,
Ministry of Home Affairs,
North Block,
New Delhi -01

27th September,2007

Dear Sir,

Subject: Request for Urgent Action in Cases of Molestation of Women Students
In University of Delhi

We would like to bring to your attention that large number of women students of University of Delhi had to face sexual harassment and molestation at the hands of men, who had come to the university area to give the Delhi Police recruitment examination conducted on 16th September, 2007.

These horrifying incidents of molestation had to be faced by many women, as mobs of men who had come to give the exam went unchecked by police around the campus molesting, and harassing whoever they could. In order to put the events of the day into perspective we will give you examples of some of the many cases that occurred on that day:

1. In one incident, a girl of IP College who was not feeling well walked down to Sant Parmanand Hospital to get some medicines. She could not even complete the two minute walk to the hospital before she was attacked by a mob of two hundred and fifty men, who molested her, passed lewd comments and tore her clothes. She had to run back to the hostel traumatized by the incident and completely terrified. After this ordeal when the girl went to file an FIR she was further traumatized by insensitive questions posed by policemen, who eventually did not file her FIR. The police patrol that is supposed to be permanently stationed outside the college was not present. If the police had not been negligent in this regard this incident could have been averted.
2. In another incident, a similar mob attacked a woman on the road in front of the Civil Lines Metro Station and molested her. Again, in spite of being aware that a mob was out on the loose the police did nothing to provide security on the roads.
3. In another incident, a mob attacked a woman who was boarding a rickshaw at Vijay Nagar, she was also molested by the mob and did not get any assistance at all from the police.

Considering the fact that hooliganism has been reported when similar exams have been conducted earlier, the exam should not have been conducted in an area where large number of women students are expected to be present. It may be noted in this regard that when the police was aware that a large number of people were going to come to the campus why did they not make any special arrangements for security? The police patrol


that was supposed to be stationed outside IP College was not present and this negligence has contributed to molestation of women students by the mob.

The insensitive attitude of the police when women went to register their FIRs has led to further mental trauma for women students and has deterred many women from going ahead and lodging complaints with the police. This gross dereliction of duty by the policemen must be viewed very seriously and it cannot go unpunished.

Finally, we must state that considering the fact that large mobs molested women and they are under immense mental trauma and agony, we do not feel it is feasible to identify particular individuals in the mob. Although, we will attempt to identify individual culprits wherever possible, we feel that if no punishment is given to these men it will further embolden them, and others like them, to molest women under the cover of a mob and get away unpunished. In such cases, no remedy lies under the normal criminal procedure and a travesty of justice will occur, unless your office intervenes and decides to provide collective punishment in the form of nullification of the examination held on that date. It may be noted that such incidents occur a number of times around areas in which such examinations are held. Unless a clear message is sent out in society that incidents of molestation will not be tolerated, they will continue unabated. It may also be noted that these men will be entering the police force where it will be part of their duty to protect women. What sort of policemen will they make, and how will they react in future cases of crimes against women?

It is therefore, our sincere request that in the interests of justice and for the sake of security and safety of women, you should take the following steps:

1. Immediate nullification of the police recruitment examination conducted on 16th September 2007.
2. In the future such examinations should not be conducted near the university campus, or near any womens educational institution, where there are a large number of women who may become victim to the hooliganism. Moreover, an affidavit must be signed by any person sitting for such exam which states that, if he is found guilty of any crime against women he shall be debarred from the exam.
3. The patrol officers, who were supposed to be on patrol that day, must be dismissed. The SHO of Civil Lines Police station should also be dismissed with immediate effect. All others who have been suspended for negligence during these incidents must also be dismissed with immediate effect.

We hope that you shall consider our request favourably and provide justice to us at the earliest.