Two DU students were allegedly harassed while travelling from Patel Chowk to Malka Ganj, prompting fresh concerns among women students over safety during late-night commutes. 

Two Delhi University students were allegedly harassed while travelling to North Campus on this Monday night, bringing renewed attention to concerns over women’s safety in areas frequently used by students living in colleges, metro stations and PG accommodations.

At around 9 PM, the two female students boarded an e-rickshaw from Patel Chowk to their PG accommodation in North Campus. According to their police complaint, two men on a motorcycle began following them and allegedly passed inappropriate comments. The men also called their friends, which led to four to five additional motorcycles stalking their e-rickshaw as it headed towards Malka Ganj. The alleged harassment continued during the whole journey.

The incident has left other students, particularly those living in PGs, uneasy about travelling alone after dark. “Incidents like these create anxiety among students as well as their families living away from Delhi,” said Kritika, a second-year student of Daulat Ram College. 

“It makes you think twice about travelling alone, especially at night,” said Sanya Mitra, a first-year student of Kirori Mal College. She said the stretch is familiar to female students and that being followed across it raises questions about their safety and could make students reconsider going out after dark.

The incident comes amid increased attention to security ahead of the Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) elections. DUSU president Aryan Maan said action had been initiated against the accused after the incident was brought to their notice. He said the accused were students from other colleges and not DU students, while emphasising that their presence on campus during the election season was a concern.

While the immediate incident has reportedly led to action, the concerns raised by students point to a larger question of safety beyond the college gates. 

Image Source: Civil Society Magazine 

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Aarushi Chaubey
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