3 min readNew DelhiApr 12, 2023 06:09 AM IST
First published on: Apr 12, 2023 at 06:05 AM IST
The Delhi Commission for Women Tuesday has issued interim recommendations to Indraprastha College for Women, DU and Delhi Police weeks after men who scaled the college walls allegedly sexually harassed students during a fest.
This comes on heels of a statement issued by the alumnae and former teachers of the college on Saturday stating, “It should also be noted that, as per POSH and the UGC ordinance, it is the responsibility of the “employer” (the principal) as well as the members of the ICC to initiate an investigation into sexual harassment cases they may observe rather than wait for complaints to be filed.”
A petition was also filed last week in support of the college students signed by more than 1,000 former students, teachers, parents and other stakeholders, stating, “Shruti, the college festival, has a well-established security drill in practice for decades. Who in the college management is responsible for abandoning the security drill and putting students at risk are culpable for this horrible debacle.”
Following the incident on March 28, several students protested against the alleged security lapse of the college. The DCW in its recommendation to the Delhi Police stated, “Delhi Police must urgently collect and analyse complete CCTV footage of the incident so that the perpetrators are arrested.”
Along with asking police to make efforts to identify all perpetrators and arrest them at the earliest, the Delhi Police was recommended to “urgently ensure that statements of all survivors are recorded under section 164 CrPC”.
The Commission further stated that “the Delhi University and Delhi Police should design a coordinated strategy for ensuring adequate security before any fest is organised in colleges” as it had noticed that there was a “complete lack of coordination between the two authorities on the matter, as no police permission was obtained by IP College for the event”.
The strategies include proper form through which police permission is sought for college fests which should include the capacity of the venue, mode through which passes are issued, number of persons expected, security arrangements by the college, details of any VIP attending the event, number of gates of the college etc.
DCW also recommended that a meeting between area SHO and College Principal should be held preferably a week prior to the program to discuss the security measure in place to ensure safety of students, meetings of which should be sent to the concerned DCP of the area.
The Commission recommendations to IP College include the college forwarding the complaints in the case to the Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) and that the ICC should have an external member from a reputed NGO working on women’s rights as well as representation from students.
The commission further stated that a thorough investigation must be conducted by both Delhi Police and Delhi University to identify the officials who were responsible for the security lapse
The Commission recommendations to IP College include the college forwarding the complaints in the case to the Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) and that the ICC should have an external member from a reputed NGO working on women’s rights as well as representation from students. (Express Photo) 
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