Female students march through areas linked to Delhi gang rape
New Delhi : Hundreds of women students of Delhi’s Lady Shri Ram College for Women (LSR) took out a solidarity march through areas linked to the alleged gang rape of a 17-year-old girl at Astha Kunj Park, demanding safety and an end to harassment and sexual violence against women.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the march, held on Wednesday evening, began near the National Park close to the college’s back gate and ended at SD Office Road near Moolchand. The students also held a sit-in near the spot where one of the three accused was shot in the leg during an exchange of fire with police.
The encounter took place barely 50 metres from the college’s back gate.
The students said the march was aimed at reclaiming public spaces they use daily and asserting their right to move freely without fear.
They raised slogans against rape culture, moral policing and patriarchy, while demanding improved security around the college and the surrounding areas.
The incident has caused considerable anxiety among students, particularly those living in paying guest accommodation and rented premises near Astha Kunj Park. Students said they had previously reported instances of harassment and obscene behaviour in the area but complained that sustained preventive action was lacking.
Police officials acknowledged that CCTV cameras at Gate 7 of Astha Kunj Park, through which the victim and her friend had entered, were not functioning.
The alleged assault has once again brought concerns over women’s safety and sexual violence in India into focus, with students calling for stronger preventive measures, better lighting and surveillance, and greater accountability from security and law-enforcement agencies.
