Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (MS)

Mangaluru, Dec 23: At one end, the city is being promoted as a Smart City. However, on the other side it seems the basic security that is required for the womenfolk to move in and around the city without any fear is missing badly.

The recent gang rape of a young lady in Thota Bengre had sent shivers down the spine of the public and raised serious questions about the safety of women and families who venture out to have fun and spend time on weekends. But now it seems even women, who are walking inside the heart of the city in areas like Hampankatta, State Bank, Lady Goschen hospital, KPT Circle, Nanthoor Junction and Town Hall and other some areas are not safe.

The menace of road romeos has increased considerably in the said localities which has made women to spend anxious moment while passing through or waiting for buses in these areas. After 7 pm, the road romeos start troubling the ladies who are walking by colliding deliberately with them, molesting, following and also passing lewd comments.

After 8 pm, these groups become more intense in their anti-social activities and tease the girls openly standing on the road. This issue was highlighted in the police phone-in programme also. The assurance of police in civil uniform to protect the ladies was given by the commissioner. However, if the recent one or two incidents are to be believed, it seems that there is no respite from these harassers.

In one of the recent incidents, a married lady, who is employed in a government office, was walking on the walkway that is in between the Town Hall and Gandhi Park, in order to catch a bus to her home. Suddenly a well-built person tried to grab her hand and pull her inside the park. She screamed and escaped from his grip. However, no one of the passersby people came to her rescue. The lady informed the same to her husband. The following day the couple went to the Pandeshwar police station. They were told to go to the women’s police station. When the couple approached the the women’s police station, they were asked by the personnel as to why they have come there as the Town Hall falls under the limits of Pandeshwar police station.

When the couple said that the Pandeshwar police station people have asked them to report to this particular police station, the personnel there listened to the complaint and took down the details. However, when the police said that the couple would have to come to the police station for follow-up, the couple did not register the complaint.

In another incident that occurred at Nanthoor junction around ten days ago. A lady was waiting for the bus at around 7.30 pm. A young man parked his bike and came near the lady and started to speak nonsense. Though the lady did not respond, he again tried to speak to her. When others in the vicinity took the youngster to task, he escaped from the spot in his bike.

These incidents are now becoming common in the city. Many girls and women from respectable families do not file complaint with the police to protect their status in society. This has become a boon to the road romeos.

So the people now have started requesting the police department to depute men police personnel in civil dress in such areas and put an end to the ugly behaviour of road romeos which is not only causing panic among womenfolk but also bringing a bad reputation to a city which is termed as one of the strong contenders for the position of Smart City.