Akshay DidwaniyaDeeply troubled by repeated attacks on minors in the capital region, the Supreme Court said, “One cannot help but draw a painful parallel to the 2012 Nirbhaya case.”
The Supreme Court on Monday stepped in on its own after a spate of sexual assaults on minors and women in the national capital region. It asked the Delhi Police to respond. The court also made it clear that parks, buses and roads cannot be made “zones of high risk”.
A bench of Justices JB Pardiwala and K Vinod Chandran acted on recent news reports. These covered the rape of a 17-year-old at Aastha Kunj park near Lady Sri Ram College. They also covered the gang-rape of a minor at Swaroop Nagar. The third case involved the sexual assault of another minor inside a bus travelling from Greater Noida to Delhi.
Court Recalls the Nirbhaya Case
The bench expressed serious concern over the repeated crimes against minors. It said, “One cannot help but draw a painful parallel to the 2012 Nirbhaya case and wonder whether lessons have been learnt. There are occurrences of sexual assault across NCR despite the guarantee of public safety. The right to live with dignity free from violence is a fundamental guarantee under Article 21 of the Constitution.”
The court noted that the crimes took place in a park, on a road and inside a bus. It observed, “Public spaces, include parks, roads, buses, Metro stations, subways, etc cannot be made zones of high risk due to poor patrolling and lack of surveillance.”
Police Held Accountable for Ignored Complaints
The bench also questioned the role of the police. A news report on the Aastha Kunj incident revealed that LSR College students had earlier complained about sexual harassment. Those complaints were never addressed. The court said, “Regrettably, these complaints failed to rectify the security lapses through advanced surveillance.”
The judges accepted that public authorities and law enforcement agencies have issued statements on the incidents. They called this understandable. However, they added, “These incidents starkly underline a systematic failure on the part of the law enforcement and public administrative authorities to guarantee public safety.”
Court Demands Action, Not Just Concern
The bench ended with a firm message for the authorities. It stated, “Concern devoid of action is not enough. What is required is measured response and accountability of persons entrusted with law enforcement.”
Mayur Mohta
Aditya Didwaniya