People's Democracy

DELHI

Night Watch Protest Against

Gang-Rape of Danish Woman

THE brutality and brazenness of the recent gang rape of Danish woman near New Delhi Railway Station has shocked everyone in the capital. In the light of growing incidents of sexual assault at public places and increasing feeling of insecurity amongst women, All India Democratic Women’s Association, Jana Natya Manch, Democratic Youth Federation of India, Students’ Federation of India, Jansanskriti, Democratic Teachers’ Federation, Centre of Indian Trade Unions together held a night watch protest at the site of rape incident on January 17. The gathering was held to assess and highlight the absence of security measures at even central public places like Connaught Place, New Delhi Railway Station and Pahar Ganj, which are frequently visited by women at all hours.

All organisations expressed anger and outrage at the complete absence of security measures around the railway station. The participants who walked from the entry point of Service Entry Road towards the New Delhi Railway Station noted that there were hardly any security measures in place. The street lights around the station were very dim. There were no police check posts near the area where the constant noise of trains make it impossible for any call for help to be heard. The protestors also observed that there were no proper sign boards indicating the way to the railway station or Pahar Ganj, which is a prominent area for tourist guest houses and lodges.  A detailed letter of observations and demands would be formulated by the organisations and submitted with the Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal at the earliest.