DU protests against harassment in the name of Holi 'celebrations'

New Delhi: A large number of students and teachers of Delhi's University's prestigious Jesus and Mary College protested outside the Delhi Police Headquarters on Thursday, a day after semen-filled balloons were allegedly thrown at some female students of the Lady Shri Ram College and other Delhi University affiliated colleges.

Carrying posters and placards, the protesters urged the authorities to provide safety to women students in and outside their colleges.

''Let's prevent them (female students) from becoming the target of semen-filled balloons. Let's raise our voice in anger,'' the posters read.

Thursday's protest was called after some students of LSR alleged that some miscreants have been harassing them in the name of the festival of Holi by throwing semen-filled balloons at them, instead of water and colours.

The incident came to light when one of the students of the South Delhi College reported that a balloon "filled with liquid" was thrown on her and "it dried white" on her black leggings. The girl was later told by her friend that the balloon was filled not with water but with semen.

Following this, the women development cell of the college held a meeting with at least 40 students.

Authorities discovered during the meeting that the experience of the student was not an isolated one.

According to the report, at least three students reported that they were hit by balloons which were filled with what they suspect to be semen.

Taking suo moto congnisance of the case, the Delhi Commission of Women (DCW) urged the Commissioner of Police to deploy police forces on strategic location, to constitute an urgent taskforce to prevent crime against women on Holi and assured the functioning of DCW's 181 and Mahila Helpline on the festive occasion.

Meanwhile, the women's welfare body also issued a notice to station house officer of Amar Colony, while seeking for detailed report on LSR semen flinging crime on March 2 at 11 am. DCW also insisted special police teams to be deployed around girl's hostels and paying guest (PG ) accommodations on Holi.

DCW Chief Swati Jai Hind in a letter to the Commissioner of Police urged his attention towards the repeated cases of hooliganism being reported in the Capital where balloons full of semen and urine are being thrown at college students and girls.

She appealed to the Commissioner of Police to ensure adequate deployment of police forces on the ground, as well as to constitute an urgent taskforce for coordinating the prevention and redressal of crimes against women on Holi.

To deter citizens from indulging in hooliganism, the DCW chief recommended the stationing of adequate beat constables at strategic points all over Delhi, especially in the narrow alleys and JJ clusters.

She added that girl's hostels are prime targets for harassment by such anti-social elements and require close police monitoring.