Students from a number of colleges affiliated to the Delhi University (DU) staged a march outside Gargi College and Kamala Nehru College on Friday, demanding stronger safeguards to ensure women’s safety following the alleged gang-rape of a 17-year-old girl near Aastha Kunj Park in the national capital’s Kalkaji area.

Police personnel were deployed in huge numbers at the protest site as the agitators raised concerns over security arrangements around educational institutions and nearby public spaces.

“Safety is a concern for all women”

In an interaction with news agency ANI, an alumnus of DU, Yaksha Sharma said the demonstration was aimed at conducting a wider solidarity march and was not just confined to students. She said the incident near Lady Shri Ram College had played the role of an immediate trigger for the protest, and emphasised that the survivor was not a student of the institute.

She then questioned how women could be expected to feel safe in less-developed or remote areas when safety concerns persisted even in the upscale areas of South Delhi. She remarked, “If a posh locality like South Delhi is not safe for girls, how can we talk about what is happening in Samastipur or what is happening in Jammu?”

Adding to her statements, she criticised a recent notification issued by the Delhi government, which called for the restriction of women’s movement in parks after sunset. She called the measure ‘a reflection of a patriarchal approach to the safety of females,’ arguing that restrictions on women’s movement should not replace measures aimed at ramping up security.

She said, “Just lock the girl up at home,” characterising what she termed ‘the mindset’ behind such restrictions.

Another participant of the protest, Alankar, said students had been voicing concerns over inadequate security infrastructure around the college area for several years. He alleged that several locations lacked adequate lighting and functioning safety facilities, while the presence of cops was also insufficient. He claimed that barricades were present but were not accompanied by adequate deployment of police personnel. As per his account, stronger patrolling could have helped avert the recent incident.

ABVP calls for security audit across student areas

In a parallel demonstration, the RSS-backed student wing Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), staged a protest outside the Delhi Police Headquarters on Friday, seeking enhanced safeguards for women’s safety across the national capital, reported news agency PTI.

The student wing demanded a special committee comprising senior cops to conduct regular security audits around colleges, universities, hostels, paying guest accommodations, coaching institutes and other areas teeming with students.

A memorandum submitted by them called for the identification and review of vulnerable locations and dark spots, improved street lighting, functional CCTV cameras and beefed up surveillance at sensitive points. Moreover, it sought heightened police patrolling during the evening and night hours around educational institutions, hostels, PG accommodations, parks, markets and routes frequently taken by students.

The ABVP further voiced demands for dedicated women’s police assistance booths near major colleges and universities, along with women’s safety response vehicles and PCR vans in key student areas.