Create fear in minds of hooligans, SC tells cops

New Delhi: Stressing the need to instil fear in the minds of anti-social elements, the Supreme Court on Monday said there appears to be a feeling that women are not safe in the city, more particularly in some vulnerable pockets of the National Capital Region. A bench of Justices J B Pardiwala and K Vinod Chandran said it must be ensured that every woman should feel safe even at 11 pm or late at night whether travelling on the roads or in the metro.

The bench asked Delhi Police to focus on intensifying surveillance, patrolling at public places including bus stands, railway and metro stations, parks, and schools and colleges where women are more vulnerable. “Don’t let us down. Rise to the occasion. Every women, every girl molested is our sister, our mother. It is a huge challenge for the police department. Don’t allow such things to happen.

Take up the challenge,” Justice Pardiwala observed. Some senior officials of Delhi Police were also present during the hearing of the suo motu case titled ‘In Re: Recent rape incidents in Delhi NCR’. At the outset, the bench said the court, the government, police department and the court-appointed amicus curiae senior advocate Liz Mathew should ponder over the issue and try to do their best to ensure that crime against women are not committed repeatedly. “The only concern with which we have taken this suo motu is that there appears to be a feeling that women are not safe in the city, more particularly in some vulnerable pockets of the city,” the bench said.