NEW DELHI: Students of the all-women Gargi College where a group of men broke into the institute during the 'Riverie' fest and allegedly groped, harassed and molested the attendees claimed that security officials just kept watching when the incident took place.
Besides the security arranged for by the college, the area had Delhi Police and paramilitary force personnel who were stationed in the area for the Assembly polls.
A student, who went through the horror said, "A month before the college festival, the student committee that handles the fest told us that the college had arranged for private security. This would be in addition to police security. When the men jumped walls and gatecrashed, the security officials kept watching. They didn't even try to stop those men."
Expressing disappointment with the behaviour of the security personnel there, another student said, "A half-naked man approached towards me. He was not in his senses. He rubbed himself against me and made lewd comments. We ran from one corner of the college to another, screaming, requesting security personnel to help, but none did."
"The college had hired bouncers for security. The security personnel were also standing right there and watching it all. My friend, who was molested, rushed to a security guard and pleaded him for help but he did not move," a student said.
Keeping in mind security concerns from pervious years, the college had this year introduced a pass system for male visitors.
According to students, only men with passes were allowed to enter the campus after their permits were checked by college authorities.
Entry through passes was supposed to stop after 4:30 pm. They said there were two bouncers on each gate of the college in addition to a few policemen.
However, in the evening, the security checking at the gates had stopped which allegedly led to the incident.
A student said, "The bouncers who were supposed to be on the main gate had left the spot. Before the groups of men entered inside the campus, there were many men who entered through the gate and were found smoking marijuana. There was total lapse of security and checking at the gates."
The outrage of Gargi students following the attacks during their college festival on February 6 found wide echo with students from other colleges sharing their anguish, political parties speaking out and the issue being raised in Parliament.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal termed the incident "extremely unfortunate" while Human Resource Development (HRD) Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal 'Nishank' said those involved in the act were outsiders and the college administration has been asked to take strict action against them.
The Delhi units of the BJP and the Congress united on a common platform with both asking that the culprits be arrested at the earliest.
According to Atul Kumar Thakur, DCP (south), a case has been registered under IPC sections 452 (house-trespass after preparation for hurt, assault or wrongful restraint), 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 509 (word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman) and 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention).
He said the case will be investigated by Inspector Pratibha Sharma, Crime Against Women Cell of south District.
Police are scanning the footage of CCTV cameras to collect evidence and speaking to students to ascertain facts, the officer said.