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Mass Memorandum Submitted to Delhi Police Commissioner Over Uber Harassment Case in Vijay Nagar

By DU Beat October 14, 2024

A mass Memorandum was submitted to the Delhi police commissioner on Friday in response to the recent harassment case of a northeastern student during her Uber ride.

On 11 October 2024, a mass memorandum was submitted to Sanjay Arora, the Delhi Police Commissioner, by North Eastern students residing in the University Enclave. This came in response to an alleged incident whereby an Uber driver attempted to kidnap a student from Manipur as per the complainant’s statements. The incident took place late at night on 5 October 2024. The complainant called for an Uber from Vijay Nagar to the bus station at Kashmere Gate, hoping to board a bus to Chandigarh. Shortly after she got into the Uber, the driver asked her about her location and other personal details before trying to take her to a remote area.

“When he initially took a wrong turn, I did inform him about it and did grow suspicious, when he wouldn’t listen and instead would tell me to let him decide which way the ride should head in whilst threatening me with a blade.”

The complainant said, recalling the terrible experience. Soon after, she and her friends filed an FIR against the accused at Model Town Police Station. As the situation developed, it became clear that the driver of the car was not the same person shown on the Uber app, which raised additional safety concerns.

The police’s role in all of this was both shocking and severely disappointing. The complainant was made to wait for 7 hours before she could file a complaint, highlighting both the complacency and incompetency on the part of the officials. The accused was charged with lenient sections under the Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), leading to an early bail. The accused was even allowed an altercation with the complainant, allegedly to pressurise her into withdrawing her complaint. The complainant understandably felt unsafe, knowing the accused could walk free while knowing her whereabouts. She went on to express her concerns to the police officials but was met with a dismissive tone.

“I was made to wait for hours because the official in charge of filing the FIR was said to be in a meeting. My safety concerns were dismissed and blown out the window, citing that nothing of that sort would happen. All while the accused was allowed to have an altercation with me in order to put pressure on me to withdraw my complaint.

The complainant expressed her clear disdain for the irresponsible and inexcusable behaviour of the police officials at Model Town Police Station.

The Mass Memorandum in light of this incident, and amidst a growing number of violence and harassment cases against the northeastern students in areas like Vijay Nagar, whose demography is shaped massively by the students coming from the northeast. There have been multiple key demands that have been put forward. The immediate suspension of all the police officers, with a new FIR under Section 74 of BNS, be filed. Section 74 of the BNS rules that acts of violence against women that are intended to outrage their modesty be met with a minimum sentence of 1 year, with the possibility of extending it to five years. The concern that has understandably taken precedence in the demands has been ensuring the safety of the complainant. The police have been asked to provide adequate security to protect her. Seeing the dismissive nature of the North Eastern helpline, a nodal officer has been asked to be appointed by Delhi police, who’d be responsible for matters concerning the North Eastern States. Finally, Uber, which has yet to take any kind of responsibility, has been asked to hold itself accountable for the incident.

These incidents are concerning and contribute to an environment in which women frequently feel both unsafe and unheard. The complainant attempted to contact the North Eastern helpline, only to have the issue referred to the Model Town police station, undermining the purpose of having a dedicated helpline. Vijay Nagar and many such areas in Delhi are student hubs, with students coming to study from different parts of India. Uber then becomes somewhat of a necessity for many to travel back and forth from one location to the other, making incidents like these damming on the part of Uber, who parade the narrative of wanting to ensure women’s safety but fail whilst taking no accountability whatsoever.

Featured Images credits: Getty Images

Yash Raj

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Campus Central

Authorities Impose a Rickshaw Ban; Workers and Residents Face Adverse Effects

By DU Beat August 16, 2024

Local authorities earlier this week banned two-seater e-rickshaws in areas around the University Enclave. The ban has been implemented due to an absence of number plates.

Earlier this week, local authorities imposed a ban on two-seater e-rickshaws in the University Enclave and surrounding areas, citing the absence of number plates. For people residing in Vijay Nagar, touted as the student hub of Delhi University’s North Campus, the ban came as a massive surprise and nuisance for the residents in the early hours of Monday. The students were faced with inflated fares or waiting for four-seater rickshaws due to a shortage of transportation options.

Walking helps save money, but sometimes I just don’t have the privilege of time to walk to any place. So, unfortunately, I have to shell out the extra cash, which has become a burden on my pocket,

said Krithartha, a second-year student living in Vijaynagar, about his struggles as an outstation student managing this fare hike.

In conversation with DU Beat, Aslesha, a second-year student living in Kamla Nagar said,

The hike is bad, of course, and considering student areas are getting more expensive day by day, a hike in transport will severely lead to problems for students. Since there are no regulations on the hike, we do not know how far it might rise.

Students were understandably left upset due to the increased financial load due to a reduction in transportation choices for students who mainly come from middle-class backgrounds. However, the ban has affected people from all walks of life. A resident of Shakti Nagar commented,

Having lived here in this locality for over 20 years, something like this has never happened before. I have been facing issues running errands and travelling shorter distances.

There was a general feeling of anger amongst the residents. They question as to why the government has to wait for these things to go overboard before taking action and causing nuisance in their lives. The rickshaw pullers have been affected the most by the ban. Many lost their livelihoods out of the blue, given the abrupt nature of the ban. While speaking to DU Beat, one of the affected rickshaw pullers had to say opened up about the entire fiasco,

We had no choice but to hike up the price due to the abrupt nature of the ban, many of us had our e-rickshaws confiscated, and pulling a traditional rickshaw takes a massive toll on our bodies.

The loss of livelihood, the increased workload, and shortage of transport options have naturally made these Rickshaw pullers feel justified in their actions. The police, on the other hand, deny the abrupt nature of it all and tell a totally different tale. In conversation with DU Beat, a police officer from the area said,

Do not fall for what these Rickshaw pullers tell you. The ban has been in place forever, it might just be a case of stricter implementation in recent days.

While the repercussions have been felt throughout, one section perhaps might suffer more than most – the women. Delhi, to no one’s surprise, is unsafe for women and has been for many years. It is especially during the night hours, when most are returning from work or their colleges. The lack of transportation options only makes them more vulnerable.

Going via auto – rickshaws can be weird at times, with the driver often trying too hard to persuade you into his ride. The guys that you often end up sharing seats with try to sit closer to you, even when there are empty seats,

shared Mrigakshi, a student from Vijay Nagar, on her experiences in autos, often shared with a bunch of men.

Women have already had horrible experiences, particularly late at night, and the reduction in the number of transportation choices at their disposal or the ease of access to them only worsens the case. The recent rickshaw ban in areas like Vijay Nagar and Shakti Nagar might seem minor on the surface but have broader implications for almost everyone involved, some at risk of a loss of livelihood whilst others being put in precarious situations.

Featured Image Credits: Vanya for DU Beat

Yash Raj

[email protected]

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Your Trusted Residence in North Campus: Simran Girls’ PG

By Media Partnerships July 2, 2019

While getting a Delhi University college might be a big hassle, finding the right PG doesn’t have to be!

With its prime location in Vijay Nagar, and the proximity to the prestigious North Campus, Simran Girls’ PG becomes an obvious choice for girl students looking for a place to call home, away from home. For more than 12 years, the place has provided safe and secure accommodation to girl students, without having to burn a hole in their pockets.

Location: The PG is located in Vijay Nagar, making it the most convenient option for North Campus students. Rest assured; you won’t be late to the 8 a.m. lecture!

Facility Features: With a common area, a terrace garden, parking, indoor gaming zone, and prominent places surrounding it, Simran Girls’ PG gives a community experience to the college years. Students are also provided with a bed, a mattress, and clean drinking water at all times. The rooms are fully-furnished and well-ventilated, and have storage spaces to keep up with the big dreams that graduates-to-be carefully tend to.

With a comfortable common room, residents can mingle with each other after college hours.

Security Features: 24×7 CCTV monitoring, helpline services, and a round the clock guard on duty, Simran Girls’ PG ensures that the safety of the students residing with us. We also have facilities like on-call doctor and first-aid boxes.

gates — A safe environment is provided to the students.

Meal Features: Three full meals, and evening tea/coffee is served keeping in mind the nutrition and hygiene of the food. Professional chefs are employed, and only good quality produce is used to prepare the food.

fridge — Residents can keep the food fresh in the refrigerators we provide.

Rent: Despite being centrally located, the rent is especially low, starting at INR 7,000. Living this close to Campus gets especially pricey, but that is another worry crossed out of your list.

With such a low rent, these rooms are a steal. — With such low rent, these rooms are a steal.

Housekeeping: We have professional housekeeping staff to ensure cleanliness and hygiene of the place. The cleaning equipment is provided to the staff by the facility itself, and students don’t have to worry about getting their space tidied up.

room 3 — While you worry about your education, we will worry about keeping your room tidy.

Besides this, the owners take special care to personally interact with the residents, and make sure their needs are met. Repairs, maintenance works, etc. are handled instantly to make the stay hassle-free.

Click here to know more.

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