BENGALURU: After a 19-year-old woman was gang-raped in a moving car in Bengaluru, women activists said that the law has failed to act as a deterrent to such heinous crimes. The purpose of setting up the 112 emergency response support system for women in distress has been defeated because of a string of questions asked by the control room personnel for just a report.
Activist Tara Krishnaswamy told The New Sunday Express that while thinking of solutions, the first thing that comes up is CCTV cameras, which don’t serve any purpose as the accused are caught on camera post-crime. They don’t prevent crime, Krishnaswamy said.
There should be more police presence on the street, every spot should be well-lit, and instead of removing street vendors, we should have them because they can give crucial information. Activists feel that ‘Nirbhaya Fund’ has been used only for CCTV cameras or setting up control rooms, which do not help in preventing crimes.
Pramila Naidu, chairperson, of Karnataka State Commission for Women, told The New Sunday Express that she has asked the South East division DCP to submit a detailed action taken report against the accused, and called the incident an ‘inhumane act’.
“The commission has taken up a suo motu case in connection with the Koramangala gangrape case which occurred on March 25, ” Naidu added. Women’s Rights Activist Brinda Adige said that in many cases, the accused get bail and victims are threatened.
“In my own experience, the 112 which was supposed to be a fast response mechanism has failed to help any women in distress to file a report. They ask innumerable questions before enquiring about the matter. This creates reluctance and fear in the minds of the victims to even file a complaint. Street lights don’t work. It is not the time to ask if women are safe, but why rapists are not afraid of the law,” Adige added.
CK Baba, DCP, South East said that he cannot answer every question, and reminded that speedy action has been taken as the accused were arrested within eight hours of the complaint. “The victim is in hospital. The accused have been remanded in judicial custody,” he said.