Underlining the need to take preventive measures against the security of women, the Supreme Court on Monday asked the Delhi Police to set up a 24-hour monitoring cell for continuous surveillance of vulnerable areas. The court has also asked the police to strengthen patrolling, particularly around educational institutions and public spaces to make Delhi safe for women past 11 pm.
Mere installation of CCTV cameras in public spaces would serve little purpose without continuous monitoring to detect suspicious activities and enable swift responses, a bench of Justices J. P. Pardiwala and K. V. Viswanathan observed while taking suo motu cognizance.
“When we are talking about surveillance through CCTV cameras, how far will they help curb crimes if there is no continuous monitoring at different war rooms? The cameras will help you in catching hold of the culprit. But how will you prevent such crimes? There has to be a cell, a 24-hour cell, which keeps monitoring what is happening,” the Bench remarked.
The apex court was hearing a suo motu case concerning a spate of sexual assault incidents involving minors and women in the national capital. The bench had earlier indicated that it intended to fix accountabilities on authorities in ensuring preventing crime and protecting vulnerable persons. It also stressed the need to intensify patrolling around educational institutions and taking action against illegal eateries across the capital that were frequented by miscreants.
“Focus on educational institutions, colleges, where there are goons [who] keep harassing young girl students. We are also told that there are hundreds of illegal eateries across NCT of Delhi where all anti-social elements get together. Even liquor is provided over there. Start identifying all those vulnerable pockets,” the bench noted.
Appearing for the Delhi Police, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta acknowledged that there appeared to be discrepancies in the patrolling system.
The bench also pointed out to reports that residents repeatedly flagged safety concerns in the locality prior to the gang rape of a 17-year-old Adarsh Park near Lady Sri Ram College which remain unaddressed even today.
The Delhi Police’s Shishtachar anti-eve-teasing force, was also brought into focus during the hearing. Senior advocate Liz Mathewn, assisting the court as amicus curiae, submitted about the little information publicly available on the functioning or the action taken by the force.
The court has scheduled the matter for further hearing on November 16, when it would pass an order regarding the measures to be undertaken.