NEW DELHI: Less than two weeks after the AAP government announced its scheme to provide free rides to women on the Delhi Metro network for ensuring their safety, a 29-year-old victim was left traumatized by a man who masturbated on her on the Metro premises in Gurugram.
The victim shared that free public transport “doesn’t boost security” and demanded that authorities work on making the network safer for commuters.
“Giving rides definitely doesn’t boost security. The solitary women compartment will now be overcrowded. It may be a good step for those who can’t afford. For those like me, I demand security,” she said.
On Monday, the Gurugram Police lodged a case against the accused under Section 354 (sexual harassment) of the IPC. Gurugram Police spokesperson Subhash Bokan said the Crime Against Women Cell is investigating the matter, even though the victim refused to get involved in the probe.
According to the victim, for women like her, who come from conservative families, “they would have to involve their families and seek their support because filing a complaint and going ahead with it is not easy.”
“I will decide by tomorrow” whether to get involved in the investigation process,” the woman said. The victim approached the DMRC with her complaint on Friday. They responded the next day asking her to come forward to lodge an official complaint and take part in the investigation.
After writing to Gurugram Police on Facebook on the night of the incident, the victim had given a detailed account of her ordeal on Twitter.
“...I wrote to Gurugram Police on Facebook messenger. They read it in an hour or so but they did not respond. After two days of frustration, anger and my inability to digest what had happened I made an account on Twitter, wrote everything and questioned the system where there is no proper CCTV surveillance..Gurugram police approached me after that,” she told this newspaper.