Several female students at the Delhi School of Journalism and Miranda House had faced repeated instances of sexual harassment, as men deliberately exposed their genitalia, proceeding to perform vulgar and obscene acts in front of the first-year students.
Female students at the Delhi School of Journalism and Miranda House have reported multiple instances of sexual harassment. The first such incident was reported to have occurred to two first-year students of the Delhi School of Journalism on the 31st of December 2025, on Cavalry Lane. The students were on route to the Vishwavidyalaya metro station at around 12:30 pm when an unidentified man indecently exposed his genitalia to the students as he proceeded to masturbate in front of them. The students found the incident “alarming and deeply traumatising,” and fled the scene, fearing for their safety.
A similar incident was also reported outside Miranda House. On 15th January, four first-year students, while exiting the college campus, encountered a man in his late thirties masturbating in broad daylight near the bus stand, outside the third gate of the college. The students approached the nearby pink booth, where they were informed by the female officer that a male personnel would be called to handle the situation.
One of the students later stated, “The man continued the act and looked at us while doing it. It was extremely disturbing and distressing.” It’s also crucial to note that this occurred in the presence of a female officer. The students also contacted the women’s helpline. Subsequently, the male police officer also arrived at the spot and detained the individual. According to the police, the man was drunk and not in a stable state of mind.
The students stated that they did not formally inform anyone else in the college, except that one of them contacted a senior from the college ICC, who provided contact details of a lawyer for legal guidance, however, no FIR was filed.
For our own sanity and well-being, we chose not to escalate the matter further. However, it’s really scary to walk that same path every day, and to think about what if he recognised us, stalked us, or came after us someday.”
Apart from the students involved, another girl was present who also noted the events. They also reported that a similar incident had previously occurred to a first-year student on a DTC bus, suggesting that such incidents could be recurring.
What is particularly concerning is that the incident took place in proximity to a women’s college, and near a bus stand, with frequent movement of women, children, and students from nearby colleges. The fact that such an act occurred in a public, highly populated space highlights serious concerns regarding safety and monitoring in the area.
Yet again, on January 16th, 2026, just a day after the incident outside Miranda House had taken place, the same two students from DSJ would be subjected to a repeated event of sexual misconduct as an event identical to the first reoccurred, at the same location, once again in broad daylight.
One of the victims said,
The man made eye contact with us as he did obscene gestures in public. We are devastated and extremely disheartened because it feels as if our right to freely walk on the streets has been curtailed.” “It still disturbs me that he felt free to do this in public with no fear of consequences. How that man remembered to cover his face but not his genitalia is unbeknownst to me,” said the other.
The experience was far from isolated. Upon hearing about the events of December 31st and January 16th, several other students at DSJ reported having had similar experiences. First-year student Aastha Upadhyay stated,
Ever since I’ve known about these incidents, I’ve dreaded walking down that path or even coming to college for that matter, which is a shame because I quite like what I’m studying. I haven’t had a good night’s sleep because I keep waking up with the fear of a man’s presence in my room. It pains me to think about what more could have happened to them, to any of us. Of course, there are bad elements in society, against which we can try to be cautious on a personal level, but their normalisation should be intolerable.”
A complaint regarding student safety was brought to the college administration’s attention. However, as the reported incidents had all occurred a few feet outside the college campus, the authorities concerned had voiced that they had no agency to involve themselves in the situation. This led to the student body questioning the accountability of their institution. Students had approached the Pink Booth outside Miranda House seeking protection and justice. Unfortunately, personnel informed them that the booth only dealt with cases of theft or snatching. They were directed to the local police station to report any instance of harassment. The Pink Booth is supposedly meant to act as a safe space for women. First-year DSJ student Ananya Chaturvedi says that the Pink Booth succeeded in branding safety, but not in providing it. “A pink-painted booth alone does not empower women. It serves no purpose if its commitment to safety ends at aesthetics,” she says.
Parents are left worrying for the security of their children as such instances continue to occur time after time. The father of one of the victims stated, “Very concerned about the safety of my daughter as well as other female students travelling to DU North Campus for their regular classes…When parents entrust these prestigious and reputed universities with their children, they do so in good faith. They deserve reassurance that this trust will be upheld.”
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Image Credits: Apoorva
Written by: Anonymous
