DU, police coordinate strategy to address sexual harassment cases in colleges: DCW recommendation

Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) has issued interim recommendations to Indraprastha College for Women, Delhi Police, and Delhi University regarding the sexual harassment incidents with the girls at IP College.

The DCW earlier had launched an inquiry into the matter after an FIR was filed by Delhi Police on the date of the incident itself and the college forwarded 231 complaints and representations to the police on April 4.

"In their interaction with the survivors, the Commission learned that four persons were injured, and a girl even sustained a fracture due to the incident. The Commission also found that similar crimes have occurred in other colleges in Delhi University, including Miranda House and Gargi College," the DCW said in a statement issued on Tuesday.

"The Commission identified some glaring issues in the case, including the fact that the Delhi Police had not collected the CCTV footage of the incident till April 6, 2023. The Commission has asked the police to collect full CCTV footage of the incident and identify and arrest all perpetrators. The Commission recommended that statements of all the survivors should be recorded immediately," it said.

"IP College had not sought police permission prior to organising the event, despite Delhi University advisory dated October 27, 2022, specifically asking colleges to do so. The Commission recommended that Delhi University and Delhi Police should design a coordinated strategy for ensuring adequate security before any fest is organised in colleges," it said.

The Principal of IP college also appeared before the Commission in the matter and informed that a 'disciplinary committee' has been set up to inquire into the incident.

The DCW had recommended that all complaints of sexual harassment at IP college should immediately be forwarded to the Internal Complaints Committee of the College so that action is taken as per law.

"The Commission found the enquiry committee set up at the level of the Delhi University to be non-inclusive as it did not have any students and expert organisations working on gender issues. The Commission also found the existing guidelines of the Delhi University severely lacking on several issues," it added.

The DCW has given interim recommendations and has sought detailed pointwise ATR from the Departments by April 18.

"Its disappointing that no action has been taken against any official of Delhi Police or IP College over the security lapse in all three incidents -- Gargi college, Miranda House and IP College. Girls are sexually harassed in their own college fests and the authorities are not doing enough to prevent these incidents, bring the guilty to task and to support the survivors. We have given our report on the matter and I expect strong action," said Swati Maliwal, the DCW chief.