Police turn into statues during emergencies: Railway commuters

Mumbai: With Mumbai turning out as the second-most unsafe city for women in India as per National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) figures for 2016, after the national capital Delhi, the city’s reputation of being safe for women is crumbling. The metropolis accounts for 12.3 per cent of the total number of cases of crime registered against women in the country.

With an increase in cases of eve teasing and molestation in trains, women who travel late at night prefer boarding the general compartment, instead of a ladies compartment. The reason behind the choice is that women feel safer with 10 men around them, instead of sitting alone in a ladies compartment with a single police officer. Anvita Gupta (26), a content producer working in a leading channel, travels from Andheri to Lower Parel on a daily basis. Ms Gupta said, “I do not have any fixed timings, and have to often travel late at night. Even though I travel in first class compartment, I prefer boarding a gents first class as at that time of the night, I am often the only woman in the compartment.” She added, “At least if I am with 10 men, I know at least they will all react in case of an emergency, but if I am alone with a single cop, how useful will that be if three goons attack me?”

Women in the city somehow have fear in the presence of a policeman, and find it safer to go along with 10 unknown men. Sometimes it also happens that the policeman stands still while a man in an inebriated state boards the ladies compartment and the women have to act.

Agreeing to the point, a nurse with the civic run Rajawadi Hospital, Pooja Gosavi said, “The police turn into statues when any emergency takes place.”