Archaic laws can’t protect you from stalkers

If a person is stalking you, all that the police can do under the law is hold your stalker in a jail cell for 24 hours. India, even though it had cases in the past where stalkers later graduated to murderers and rapists, has no anti-stalking laws.

If a person is stalking you, all that the police can do under the law is hold your stalker in a jail cell for 24 hours. India, even though it had cases in the past where stalkers later graduated to murderers and rapists, has no anti-stalking laws.

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While countries such as the United States, and even Canada, formulated such laws decades ago, India is to still catch up.

In these countries, a person is first warned and later issued a ‘restraining order’ that prevents the stalker to be within a specified radius of the victim.

If there were laws in place in India, the death of 20-year-old Radhika Tanwar, who was allegedly killed by her stalker, could have been prevented.

According to Delhi Police, they have an Anti-Stalking Cell to help women who are being stalked. The police said that if a woman has been a victim of stalking for a long period of time they could call the anti-stalking cell who would direct the local police station to take action.

The police officer said the stalker could also be made to sign a bail bond, and if he continues to harass the woman, his bail can be revoked and he could be sent to jail.