In December 2012, the horrific gang-rape of a young woman, later dubbed Nirbhaya by the media, jolted the nation and ignited a wave of outrage, leading to promises of systemic reforms. Over a decade later, the haunting question remains: has Delhi truly learned its lesson?
For women like Shreya Pal, the answer feels dishearteningly clear. At 11 pm, she stepped out of her office in a secluded stretch of Noida’s Film City, her footsteps echoing in the stillness. Overtime was not unusual for her, but in the national capital, women outdoors after dark still face unease and scrutiny. As Shreya prepared for her journey from the far-east to the far-south of the city, a familiar dread filled her.
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“Delhi isn’t very safe for women at night,” she thought, a sentiment echoed by countless others who navigate the city’s poorly lit, shadowy streets and eerily quiet, deserted corners.
“Delhi isn’t very safe for women at night,” she thought, a sentiment echoed by countless others who navigate the city’s poorly lit, shadowy streets and eerily quiet, deserted corners.
Even though the driver’s intentions were innocent—he simply took a faster route—the perpetual suspicion and vigilance women must maintain takes a toll. Late shifts, especially as her workload peaks towards the third quarter’s close on December 31, exacerbate the challenges Shreya faces. “More often than not, there is no trans port available outside the gates of my office, and being far from the city centre, it gets difficult to arrange for transport. More unfortunate is the fact that the situation gets grimmer as I approach the locality around my home, where drunk men hover. This mostly leads to some strange and uncomfortable encounters,” she said.
No lessons learnt
Nirbhaya had also ventured out at night after watching a movie with a friend in the national capital. Both of them boarded a bus moving towards southwest Delhi’s Munirka. However, they bore too much trust in Delhi’s ability to protect them and treat them as normal human beings. The woman was gang-raped and killed on the moving bus by six perpetrators, one of whom was a juvenile just days from turning 18. Her friend was also beaten during the attack.
Special Commissioner of Police, Chhaya Sharma, narrated how the events unfolded in a recent pod cast, highlighting how the perpetrators were caught and booked. She explained, “Many believe the crime scene was where Nirbhaya’s body was found, but the true crime scene was the moving bus. Our first priority was to locate it.”
The investigation into the Nirbhaya case began with tracking the bus through CCTV footage, leading to its discovery near the residence of the driver, Ram Singh, who became the first arrest. Two other perpetrators were detained based on their absence during the crime and location evidence.
The fourth perpetrator was identified through sketches provided by Nirbhaya’s friend and surrendered only after police threatened to inform his mother. Ram Singh’s brother, Mukesh, was arrested in Rajasthan on December 18 by a special task force. The most elusive was the juvenile. He was caught at Anand Vihar bus terminal after being identified with Ram Singh’s help.
IPS Sharma revealed that the case’s conviction hinged on meticulous evidence, including detailed documentation of the victim’s injuries and the 13 bite marks on her body, highlighting the brutal ity of the crime. Five of the six convicted were sentenced to death, while the sixth, being a juvenile, was released in December 2015.
Unfortunately, even after over a decade, the scenario remains the same across the board, with Delhi recording a total of 2,751 crimes against women till August 31—1,393 rape incidents, 1,354 sexual assaults, and three rapes with murder. To put matters into perspective, the national capital remains the most unsafe for women, averaging five rapes daily since 2022. On the other hand, 11 instances of crimes against women were noted daily on average.
To curtail such situations, the police have initiated constant surveillance across the national cap ital. A senior police officer high lighted that there are regular patrolling units operating in the area.
“We maintain regular, scheduled patrols around the clock, covering each locality from morning until night. Additionally, anti snatching picketing units have been strategically deployed in key areas to enhance safety and security. To further empower residents, we have organised self-defence classes for women and senior citizens, equipping them to better protect themselves in case of emergencies,” he said.
However, according to residents, the patrols are seldom visible. Rakhi Kumar, 34, a homemaker based in Laxmi Nagar, said that although the cops are supposed to take rounds of the area, nobody is ever seen. “If anybody comes at midnight in or around this area, you will only find motorcycles parked throughout the road, waiting for another race. The police are nowhere to be seen. They usually just come around 11 PM, asking shops to close up,” she said.
Similarly, most of these crimes occur at night in areas that are secluded and lack sufficient street lights.
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Dark spots of Delhi
Patriot found that 12 dark spots listed by the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) in 2023 were still without streetlights. Some of the worst and longest stretches recorded were: Baprola to Ranhola Village (3.8 km), Vishwavidyalaya Marg to Hindu College (2.1 km), Baprola to Bakkarwala (2 km), and Pusta Road from Lalita Park to Bank Enclave (2 km). Unlit areas such as Sachivalaya Road to Raj Ghat and a 1.2-km stretch on Africa Avenue Road from Sheikh Sarai to the Swami Venkateshwara Marg T-point were also found without streetlights.
Former DCW chief Swati Maliwal raised concerns in December 2023 about poorly lit stretches in East Delhi, including areas like Laxmi Nagar, Akshardham, and the Nangloi Najafgarh stretch.
Despite heightened awareness, several critical roads, such as Nelson Mandela Marg from Vasant Vihar to Vasant Kunj, remain without street lights even after witnessing a spate of crimes in recent years.
These “dark spots” have become a significant issue in Delhi, as highlighted by a senior South East police official. “While our patrol ling schedules are consistent, even at night, the lack of proper street lights has contributed to a rise in crimes like snatching, harassment, and, occasionally, passion driven murders,” the official explained.
Efforts to address the issue have been hindered by bureaucratic challenges and inter-agency disputes. “We’ve repeatedly written to authorities like the MCD and PWD, but the overlapping jurisdictions often lead to inaction,” he noted. For example, streetlights on a stretch may fall under the MCD’s purview, while footpaths are managed by the PWD, creating confusion and delaying repairs.
Former Member Secretary of DCW, Prem Prakash Dhal, said that owing to a lack of funds given to the commission, it has become impossible to track such unsafe spots. “Earlier, we had the financial support to take necessary action against the agencies. However, at the moment, we are left without support. Even before my membership ended, support for us had stopped quite some time ago. Our last survey of dark spots earlier this year revealed that none of the dark spots had been fixed, barring a 200m stretch at North Campus (Delhi University),” he said.
The lack of coordination between agencies leaves these dark spots unresolved, posing ongoing safety risks for Delhi’s residents.
Upasana Bagchi (name changed), a 28-year-old journalist at a premier broadsheet in the national capital, expressed concerns about the lack of police presence in the area.
“The situation gets worse near Shaheen Bagh at night due to the lack of streetlights and the horrible condition of roads. Travelling inside the cab is harrowing in itself, since if the vehicle gets stuck, anyone can come in and force open my door. The lack of patrol units does not help the situation either,” she shared. “There have been times when I have seen random men waiting outside my alley but not a single police personnel was present,” she shared.
Bagchi, a resident of Jamia Nagar in South East Delhi, typically works evening shifts from 6 pm to 3 am.
Assistant Commissioner of Police, Ranjay Athrishya, dis missed concerns about inadequate patrolling in the city, asserting that police coverage is thorough and frequent.
“We have sufficient patrol units across the national capital, ensuring no area is left unchecked. Our priority is to maintain safety and prevent harm to anyone,” he stated.
