To catch eve-teasers red-handed, Siliguri private tutors install CCTV cameras

Private tutors in Siliguri have decided to install surveillance cameras outside their coaching classes to protect girls from eve-teasers.

Many students have often lodged complaints against ‘roadside romeos’ – a euphemism for youth who tease girls while walking on roads – in different police stations in the city.

From time to time, police conduct raids to apprehend such youth on charges of eve-teasing and stalking. However, many such accused are easily freed from custody as well.

With the installation of close circuit television (CCTV) cameras outside coaching classes, private tutors want to ensure security of girl-students in the city.

“We will be held responsible if anything untoward happens in or around the coaching classes. The guardians will ask us to reply. Police will come later, but we will be held responsible first. So it is important to do something which could help police to tackle such cases. The CCTV footage will help investigators get hold of eve-teasers,” said Ratan Chatterjee, a private tutor.

Eve-teasing and stalking is becoming rampant in some parts of the state. But police is regularly taking stringent action against miscreants in such cases. It may be recalled that a student of Class XI died and two fellow students were injured after an eve-teaser, who was chasing them in a car, hit them.

The incident occurred at Garughata in Mahishadal in East Midnapore district, about 100 km from Kolkata.

Madhumita Bag, the Class XI student, died on the spot and Pinki Nayek and Sumita Bag were injured and admitted to Tamluk hospital.

At that time of the incident, the girls from Nandakumar were going to private tuition. According to locals, the driver was teasing the girls and chasing them.

It was not clear whether the accused hit the girls with his car deliberately or accidentally.

“We all well remember the incident at Mahishadal. Such incidents can happen in Siliguri too. It is better to take precaution before preaching,” said Sandip Das, a private tutor.