Four Days After Unruly Mob Gate-crashed Gargi College Fest & Molested Students, No FIR Yet; NCW Steps in

New Delhi : Four days after a group of men molested students of Delhi University’s Gargi College by gate-crashing their fest, police are yet to lodge an FIR.The February 6 incident came to light when several students took to social media to narrate their experiences and alleged that security personnel did nothing to control the unruly groups. The students have now planned a protest inside the college on Monday.Police said they have not received any PCR or other complaint in the matter either from the students or the college authorities. The National Commission for Women (NCW), however, has taken cognisance of the issue and will meet students of the college.

As the news of the incident spread, a team of Delhi Police reached the college to check CCTV footage and the administration too swung into action and met the students.Many students on the page, ‘speakupgargi’, blamed the college union and the administration for “failing” to protect students and even demanded the resignation of the college principal.

A student, in an Instagram post, said, “The college fest was a traumatic experience. I was guarded by two male friends at the fest. But unfortunately lost them in the sea of men at the fest. In merely those 10 minutes, I was groped thrice by a group of men and when I realised what had happened, they laughed in my face.”Another student shared on the Instagram page that two women students had panic attacks due to “harassment” they faced.

A first-year student claimed that a group of “five middle aged, drunk men cornered her and “tried to molest her” and there were men inside the crowd who were smoking weed.A student, requesting anonymity, said, “The students’ union will be taking up the matter with the college administration on Monday. During the fest, the police and bouncers were present and were informed that there was overcrowding but they did not do anything to manage the crowd.”

In a statement, the Left-backed Democratic Students’ Federation (DSF) said, “Thursday saw the Gargi annual fest, Reverie happen in the college premises where the deliberate negligence on the part of the administration and the security led to a situation where a score of inebriated men were allowed to enter the campus and grope and harass the students.”The outfit claimed students have also said these men were shouting “Jai Sri Ram” and holding saffron flags.The DSF also compared the incident to recent violence at the Jamia Millia Islamia and the Jawaharlal Nehru University.