Was delayed police security reason Gurmehar Kaur had to leave Delhi?

Gurmehar Kaur was provided police security on Monday afternoon after she allegedly received rape threats on Sunday evening for her social media campaign against the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad that went viral.

Gurmehar Kaur was provided police security on Monday afternoon after she allegedly received rape threats on Sunday evening for her social media campaign against the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad that went viral.

Delhi University student Gurmehar Kaur (Facebook)

On Monday afternoon, the Delhi Commission for Women asked the police to take action, following which a case of sexual harassment, criminal intimidation and under the Information Technology Act was registered. Within hours, police security was also provided to Kaur.

However, DCW chief Swati Maliwal said that the cyber unit of Delhi Police needs to be strengthened so that they take quick action in such matters. She said that suo motto cognisance should have been taken by the police.

“She was intimidated by the threats and it was all over the internet. Even then the police did not react swiftly. Why did they have to wait for DCW to intervene? What if something would have happened to her that evening or the next morning? Who would have been responsible?” she said. “A considerable time was taken to actually provide her the required security and anything could have happened during that time. It is all about reacting in time,” she said.

Ironically, when Kaur left for Punjab, no one from the Delhi Police escorted her. “She left from Delhi alone at the time she is the most vulnerable. Someone should have accompanied her from here and handed her over to her parents safely. Although the police have written to Punjab police asking them to provide required security there, but this could have been streamlined in a better way and someone should have been sent with her,” Maliwal said.

Commenting on the matter, special commissioner of police, Dependra Pathak said that as soon as they received a complaint, security was provided. “Incognito policemen were given as soon as we received a complaint. We ensured that she was given full security till she was here in Delhi. We have also written to Punjab Police to give her adequate security.”

Maliwal said that the DCW now demands quick action against the men who threatened Kaur. “We demand the arrest of the men who threatened Kaur for raising her opinion. The police should not spare the culprits and action should be taken at the earliest,” she said.

“The police should have registered a case against those men on Sunday itself. Why wait for two days, till DCW approached them? Are they not on the internet? Do they not know what is happening around? As a policing body, are they authorised to give security only when a person begs for it? Do they wait for something untoward to happen to take action?” an AISA student said.

Samridhi Arora, a third-year student of LSR said if had police acted against the cyber-bullies on Sunday itself, there would be no need for security.

“Where was the team of Delhi Police who fights cyber-bullying, when she was openly receiving rape threats? Had they tracked those people and arrested them there would not have been a need to provide her with security, in terms of policemen/women being with her,” said Arora who got in touch with Kaur only during this campaign.

Meanwhile, ABVP has filed a complaint at Maurice Nagar police station seeking action against those who threatened her. “Unfortunately, she has blamed us for it but I want to clarify that none of our people are involved in it,” wrote Saket Bahuguna, national media convener, ABVP, in his complaint to the police.