Delhi chief minister Rekha Gupta on Wednesday said ensuring women’s safety cannot be reduced to imposing restrictions on girls and called for greater focus on the behaviour and upbringing of boys, while stressing the responsibility of police, civic agencies and courts to make the capital safer.
This comes as the police stepped up their probe into the alleged gang rape of the minor at gunpoint inside the 142-acre Aastha Kunj Park near Kalkaji Temple on September 21. The class 7 girl was visiting the park with a 17-year-old male friend on her 17th birthday when the crime took place at around 7.15pm-7.30pm.
Her remarks came two days after the Supreme Court on Monday took suo motu cognisance of rising instances of sexual assault against minors and women in the national capital region, seeking a response from Delhi Police and stating that public spaces, including parks, buses and roads, cannot be made “zones of high risk”. Gupta said the police must ensure there are no gaps in security, and the administration must identify locations requiring lighting, cameras, and additional security personnel.
