New Delhi: A woman alleged that she was sexually harassed by a man at the Jor Bagh station on Delhi Metro's yellow line, news agency PTI reported on Friday. According to the report, she took to her Twitter handle narrating the incident and also said that the policeman on the platform did not take any action after she approached for help.
In a series of tweets, the woman alleged that on Thursday afternoon, a man approached her on the pretext of confirming an address as soon as she got off at the Jor Bagh metro station.
“The man had asked for my help w an address during the metro ride. I helped him, then got off at my station and sat on the platform to book a cab. The man approached me again at the station under the garb of confirming the address. Believing dat he needed help,” she wrote.
She further alleged that as she tried to peer into the file that had the address, the man flashed his genitals while trying to show the file, she said.
The woman added that as she approached the policeman standing on the platform, he refused to help her and asked her to go upstairs to talk about it.
"I was still scared but I somehow managed to go upstairs and found other policemen. I asked dem to take me to the CCTV room so dat I could recognise him," she said in another tweet.
“The entire incident was captured on camera but then we saw him get into a different metro and leave,” she added.
"I asked them to do something about it but instead they started blaming me and said dat I shouldve created a scene & tht theres nothing they can do now since he managed to leave,” she said, adding that she is scared to step out of her house.
Following her tweets, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) issued a statement saying that it takes the issue of women safety very seriously and asked the woman to share the exact time of the incident.
“Please provide exact time of the incident. In such cases, commuters are requested to immediately report the matter to the nearest metro staff or contact customer care centre at the station. They can also call, DMRC helpline no. 155370 or CISF helpline no. 155655 so that immediate help can be provided,” DMRC tweeted.
“Delhi Metro takes the issue of the safety of our women commuters very seriously. All possible cooperation is being extended to the law and order agencies so that necessary action can be taken,” DMRC further added.
Meanwhile, taking note of the incident, Suman Nalwa, PRO, Delhi Police, as quoted by news agency ANI, said, “We have taken cognisance of a tweet of a young girl who said she was sexually harassed at a metro station premises. Thereafter, metro police initiated the action. DCP Railways is looking into the matter and we'll nab the accused soon.”
"Incident happened around 2 pm in the afternoon, the CISF constable might be off-duty that's why he directed the girl to approach the CISF control room. They inspected the CCTV footage & accused was found to be travelling in another metro," Nalwa said.
“We are in touch with DMRC to establish coordination to immediately direct either the local police or metro police to initiate necessary action in such cases. Youngsters should not be reluctant to dial 112 while having such a traumatic experience,” she further added.
It is to be noted that the Delhi Police registered a case taking note of the incident. The police said the security inside the metro stations is manned by the Central Industrial Security Force and the officials are taking up the issue with the higher authorities in CISF to find out why the matter was not brought to Delhi Police's notice earlier, PTI reported.
"Her residence was visited by the SHO and her statement has been recorded. On the basis of the statement, a case has been registered under applicable sections of the Indian Penal Code. Investigation teams have been constituted to scan the electronic surveillance system in trains and metro stations and trace the movement of the accused and nab him," PTI quoted Deputy Commissioner of Police (Railways) Harendra Kumar Singh, as saying.
Notably, the Special Police Unit for Women and Children (SPUWAC) of the Delhi Police is in regular touch with the woman to extend all necessary help, the police further said.
Taking suo moto cognisance of the incident, the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) also issued a notice to the Delhi Police, seeking details, including the copy of the FIR, details of the police personnel who refused to assist the girl as alleged by her, latest by June 7, according to the PTI report.