NEW DELHI: Making it clear it won’t tolerate any new case of sexual assault of women in public places in the capital, SC said it is time for city police to pull up their socks, increase patrolling and surveillance particularly of vulnerable pockets, including parks and educational institutions.It said police should instil fear in the minds of goons and anti-nationals that they won’t be spared if they dare to touch “sisters or mothers”. “We have to work together. We must ensure every woman in Delhi should feel safe even at 11pm whether travelling on the roads or in metro,” the bench said.A bench of Justices J B Pardiwala and K Vinod Chandran appealed to police to live up to the expectation of this court and residents of the city and allowed them to act tough against the goons. It said police should turn into a people-friendly force which residents would not run away from and instead approach to report a problem.“You need to create a fright or fear in the mind of a man who is prone to commit offences. Unless and until you don’t create that fright or fear in that goon or anti-social element that ‘ab kuch kia toh mar jayenge’, you will not be able to prevent commission of such crimes… You need to get into action. Don’t hesitate to be harsh against the goons. Patrolling should be intensified and it should be done day and night. You keep a very close vigil on vulnerable pockets and ensure that those areas are adequately illuminated,” the bench told Delhi police.The court was hearing a suo motu case of which it took cognisance on Sept 28 about sexual assault crimes against minor girls and women across Delhi-NCR. The court decided to intervene after noting that such cases underline a systematic failure on the part of law enforcement authorities.The bench highlighted that police should take preventive measures to stop such crimes against girls and women in public places. “Every girl and woman is our sister, our mother, and it is the responsibility of police to make them feel safe and secure in the city,” it said.“Crimes can be of different forms. Two individuals would fight. But rape is something which is not acceptable to any society. We just want to know if there are any provisions within NCT Delhi for war rooms? We have war rooms in different high courts which indicate which court is conducting which matter, whether the presiding officer is sitting or comfortably retired to chambers. Do you have any mechanism where you can continuously monitor movements at different pockets and quick response?” the bench asked Delhi Police and directed it to file a comprehensive report within four weeks.The court also flagged the issue of shortage of staff in police and illegal eateries operating near public parks and educational institutions which are hangouts for anti-nationals.“You should focus now to intensify surveillance in entire city and concentrate more on bus stands, bus stops, metros, railway stations where women are more vulnerable, outside schools, colleges, north and south campuses. You know best which are those areas where the crime rate is high. Undertake regular surveys,” it said.
