DU students protest Holi-related holiganism

A student from LSR was allegedly hit by a water balloon filled with semen on February 24 according to her post on Instagram. Another woman, accompanied by a different LSR student, was allegedly hit by a water balloon thrown by two other women filled with a “sticky liquid” on Thursday.

A section of female students from Delhi University’s Lady Shri Ram (LSR) College and Jesus and Mary College (JMC) took out separate protests on Thursday to voice their concerns over the alleged hooliganism and sexual harassment that happens in the city around the time of Holi.

Students and teachers of Jesus and Mary College protest outside Delhi Police headquarters against an incident in which semen-filled balloons were allegedly thrown at some girl students. (Sonu Mehta/HT PHOTO)

A student from LSR was allegedly hit by a water balloon filled with semen on February 24 according to her post on Instagram. Another woman, accompanied by a different LSR student, was allegedly hit by a water balloon thrown by two other women filled with a “sticky liquid” on Thursday, something that the deputy commissioner (southeast) Chinmoy Biswal, maintains was not semen, despite initial reports. On the same day, a student from JMC was also allegedly hit by a semen-filled balloon, according to her post on Facebook.

In the light of these events, a group of around 50 LSR students took out a march around the Amar Colony area on Thursday, and Aysha Emelda, an LSR student who was at the march, claimed that a young boy flung a water balloon at them during the protest.

“The cops advised the boy that this should not be done, and explained how it is wrong,” Emelda said.

Students of JMC, and teachers and activists of Centre for Struggling Women (CSW) held a protest outside the Delhi Police Headquarters, “seeking stringent measures” against the “rampant hooliganism and sexual harassment of women” that happens this time of the year.

They submitted a memorandum to the police, asking for more stringent action including directives to DU to stop Holi procession by male hostellers and recommending a ban on balloons and more frequent patrolling, according to statement sent by Maya John, an assistant professor at the college.

Madhur Verma, DCP (New Delhi), who had addressed the gathering, said that the police had already issued prohibitory orders that nobody can forcefully play Holi with anyone, and that they had already banned the sale of certain kinds of balloons. “They submitted their memorandum to the special commissioner of southeastern range. We appreciated their courage and said that we will continue to work in this regard,” Verma said.