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NEW DELHI: Delhi has a particularly terrible reputation when it comes to women’s safety. Unfortunately, this reputation is more than deserved -- the city records an average of 40 instances of crimes against women per day! Official data has shown that of this high number, a majority are cases of rape, molestation and sexual harassment. Even more worryingly, these crimes are on the increase: 11,683 cases of crimes against women were registered between January 1 and October 20 last year, against 10,064 cases registered during the same period in 2013 -- an increase of 16 percent.
Whilst the debate on crimes against women needs to be centred on society, culture and gender norms, vigilance does play its part. This is demonstrated by footage that was captured on CCTV, that helped cops nail an offender.
A video, published 16 September 2015 on YouTube, shows an incident from 19th August 2015 in Malviya Nagar, South Delhi. Captured around 10 PM on that day, the video shows a man stalking an Uzbek national, who was talking on the phone. The man then approaches her, snatches her phone and assaults her. The woman screams, and boys who were playing football nearby rush to her assistance. They catch him, hit him and drag him back to the spot of the crime.
Watch the video here:
The description for the video reads: “A FOREIGN NATIONAL LADY OF OUR AREA IS STALKED BY A GUY WHO ATTACKS HER AND BEATS HER UP AND TRIES TO MOLEST HER. ALERT BOYS OF OUR AREA PLAYING IN THE PARK, RUN AFTER THE GUY AND AFTER A LONG CHASE CATCH HIM. THE GUY GETS A BEATING OF HIS LIFE AND IS LATER HANDED OVER TO THE POLICE.”
The boys, part of the football team Malviya Nagar Maniacs (MNM), have been quoted in the media relating the incident. ScoopWhoop quotes Arjun Singh Rajput (Class XII, St Paul's School) saying, "The man was like a 'goal' that had to be scored.”
"We were playing in the park when we heard a scream. We rushed towards the sound. We saw a foreigner, who was all teary, and then a man running towards Apeejay School. We sensed something was wrong," said Sarthak Sharma (Class XII, LBS School RK Puram).
"We were discussing where he could have gone when we saw him hiding behind a car. As we approached near him, he confidently came out as if he hadn't done anything. But we recognized him," said Japneet (2nd year, Shaheed Bhagat Singh College).
