DU's Indraprastha College students allege harassment during fest, 7 held
What's the story
Seven men were arrested on Wednesday after students at Delhi University's Indraprastha College for Women (IPCW) reported on Tuesday that trespassers entered their campus and "harassed numerous students." The incident occurred just before singer Asees Kaur was scheduled to perform at IPCW during Shruti—the institute's two-day fest. Students alleged that the college administration locked them up in hostels in response to the incident.
Statement
Trespassers allegedly chanted 'Won't spare IP'
Students alleged that the trespassers were chanting, "Miranda, IP, dono hamara" (Miranda House and IPCW both are ours), and "Miranda nahi chhoda, toh IP bhi nahi chhodenge" (We didn't leave Miranda, we won't spare IP either). The Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) has issued a notice to the Delhi Police and the college administration, requesting a response to the security breach by Monday.
Details
Students detained for protesting without permission
On Wednesday, students reportedly formed a human chain to stop the college principal's car and corner other officials after members of DU's All India Students Association (AISA) and Students Federation of India (SFI) were detained for staging a protest without permission. A second-year student requesting anonymity blamed the college administration for not ensuring students' safety, which resulted in them being molested.
Police
No one came forward to lodge complaint: Police
The police, in response to the students' allegations, said that the event was open to all DU students. They added that despite molestation allegations and drunken behavior, no student came forward to lodge a complaint. An FIR on a suo moto basis was filed later by the police. They urged students to help identify the perpetrators and promised to keep their identities secret.
Safety
Miranda College also reported a similar incident in 2022
Women's safety in Delhi has been a talking point, but it becomes all the more grave in educational settings. In October 2022, a horde of men trespassed on the campus of Miranda House—DU's top-ranked women-only college—during a college Diwali fest and allegedly sexually harassed the students on the campus. In February 2020, several men also barged into DU's Gargi College—another women-only institute.