Women are perceived as the ‘most available’ commodity, strolling down the streets with that sign dangling around their neck- “OPEN INVITE: Come & Harass Me!” That’s what it seemed like to be on the 31st December 2016 in the IT hub of India, Bengaluru when several women were assaulted and molested on the streets. Even after the presence of 1500 policemen on the spot, they were all outnumbered by the chaotic mob.

The outrageous case of mass molestation totally ignores the  word ‘feminism’ where are all those raging slogans, dark hued voluptuous newspaper headlines and those deeply caring hearts hide. Mass molestation of women by a sickeningly great mob in the presence of policemen has become a trend.

In September 2007, in India a very similar attack took place in Delhi University’s North Campus. The fact that the university was serving as the center for the police care examination showed the clear availability of several policemen present on the campus. But, ironically a group of examinees ignorantly acted on their raging hormones and chose to molest the female students near the Vishwavidyalaya Metro Station and the ones present on the campus.

One of the students of DU, Ekta Marwaha present on the campus that time, said, “As it was a Sunday, relatively the campus was empty. After the examinations, the examinees started touching the women in an inappropriate manner. Also, they assaulted them and created a huge havoc”. When Ekta along with other students staged a protest against what happened, they were discouraged by the department heads to take the whole issue forward.

Even the Vice chancellor refused to take any action against this. To trudge the matter forward, the students were relentless. After two days, around 600 students walked up to the Vice Chancellor’s office along with their professors and that too without any political affiliation. At first, the VC had refused to entertain them. But gradually through the constant pressure from the media, he gave in.

All the students asked for some corrections to be made on the campus, including the nullification of the examination in order to avoid any repeats of the similar accident and also to install more street lights to make the campus safer for the women in the night time. Gradually the VC agreed to their demands but did not nullify the examination. The students didn’t give up and went to the National Commission for Women and also met Sheila Dixit, the then Chief Minister of the capital. But all their efforts were futile. The same molesters went on to join the police.

Just similar to this Delhi University incident in 2007, the Bengaluru incident received no attention. Even a FIR wasn’t lodged!

A witness reportedly claimed that a group of boys were deliberately falling over the girls, where the girls were seen screaming for help and tried to push the boys away.

Anantha Subramanyam who is the chief photographer of the Bangalore Mirror, also said that the girls were molested, groped and abused. Also, he had taken a few photos where the women were seen fleeing without their shoes, begging for help and weeping amidst the crowd.

This has really uprooted our trust in our police system who claim themselves as saviours. Where is India heading to, a safe zone for humans or a land of dangerous hormonal beasts who breed on women?

Do share your views on this issue and help support all those women who still hold the courage and integrity to shout for help, even when Bengaluru folks shamelessly decline to give any.