Delhi’s civic authorities have restricted entry to parks after sunset as part of new safety measures introduced days after a minor was allegedly raped at a public park in the Indian capital.
The incident took place on Monday night, when a 17-year-old girl along with her male friend were accosted by three men posing as police officials, before they raped the minor, according to reports.
The incident took place at the Astha Kunj Park in southeast Delhi, maintained by the Delhi Development Authority – a statutory planning and urban development body.
The accused used “legal terminology to intimidate the two telling them that they … had done something wrong and could face a case”, said senior police official Vijay Kumar.
“The trio then separated the girl by taking her to a secluded spot while restraining the boy and sexually assaulted the girl.”
A preliminary chargesheet was filed under sections of the Indian laws pertaining to minors.
The three accused, identified as Asif, 31, Hemant, 31 and his brother Mukesh, 24, were subsequently arrested. Asif was arrested after he was shot in his leg by the police near Lady Shri Ram College for Women, a prominent women’s college in Delhi.
Hemant is a lawyer, while Mukesh is a Bachelor of Science student, their father, advocate JR Dhankar, was quoted as saying by the Times of India.
“Police picked them up from their home in Sriniwaspuri early in the morning without informing us. Their statement were taken forcibly… They were at home all day and were not outside when the incident occurred,” he said.
Asif worked at a vegetable wholesale hub in Delhi.
The incident has sparked widespread protests from the students, amid anxiety over safety and anger over the restrictions to public places.
While the college temporarily moved classes online, the administration also spoke with the Delhi Police, demanding active measures to strengthen security on and around campus.
Students from Lady Shri Ram college and their peers from Gargi college and Miranda House held a solidarity march at the back gate of the college where the encounter took place.
“Many of us are still deeply worried about our safety on campus and so are our parents. The immediate action to move classes online for our safety gave us some reassurance. But such incidents do highlight the need to amplify concerns around women safety on campus,” Anusha, a first year student told the Hindustan Times.
“We can’t keep hitting pause on our education every time a horrific crime happens in our vicinity,” said another student on the condition of anonymity.
“Honestly, we are tired of safety being treated as a reactive measure. We need permanent structural changes like regular security audits of dark spots and active patrolling and not just temporary lockdowns that shift the burden back onto the students.”
Anusha Garg, president of student's union at Lady Shri Ram College, said: “Women’s safety cannot be addressed only through advisories asking women to be more careful. The focus has to be on safer public spaces, reliable last-mile transport, visible policing, accessible reporting mechanisms and timely accountability.”
Amid the backlash, the DDA’s vice chair issued a slew of directions, including installation of more CCTV cameras and lights, as well as increasing night patrolling. The parks with multiple entry gates will move to control access during late hours, restricting entry through selected gates after sunset and before closing time.
Security personnel have also been directed to step up vigilance, particularly during evening and night hours. DDA will carry out an audit to identify dark and poorly lit stretches across its parks, and install floodlights, wherever required.
Under the new directions, there will be greater vigilance of the guards deployed at the park, with their attendance, patrolling and performance monitored through field inspections.
