DCW issues notice to Delhi Police over phone snatching incident

NEW DELHI: The Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) Chairperson Swati Maliwal has issued a notice to the Delhi Police over the incident of mobile phone snatching of a counsellor working in the Crisis Intervention Centre (CIC) programme of the Commission.

Maliwal said that the Commission received a complaint from the counsellor. In the complaint, the counsellor said that she had gone to the Seelampur police station to meet a complainant as part of the official work assigned to her by the CIC. Thereafter, when she left the police station and took an e-rickshaw to go to the Jag Pravesh Chandra Hospital for assisting a survivor of sexual assault she was attacked and robbed of her mobile phone.

"She informed me that when she reached near the Shastri Park Road, three men riding a bike attacked her and tried to snatch her phone. When she resisted, she was pulled out of the rickshaw and dragged along by the snatchers while her legs were still stuck in the moving rickshaw. Due to this, she suffered several injuries," Maliwal said.

The rickshaw driver took her to the Shastri Park Police Station from where she was taken to the Jag Pravesh Chandra Hospital and her MLC was done.

"The counsellors working at the Commission often work in extreme circumstances and have to act against criminals. It was extremely unfortunate that a counsellor who had been assigned to assist a survivor of sexual assault, was herself attacked and had to be taken to the hospital, said Maliwal.

Maliwal has now issued a notice to SHO police station Shastri Park and has sought an action taken report. The Commission has sought the copy of FIR along with details of arrests made in the matter. Further, the Commission has also inquired as to whether the counsellor's phone has been traced and given back to her.

Maliwal stated, "Our counsellors work in the field day and night for assisting women and girls in distress. Many times they have to work in very adverse conditions and have to face criminals. The incident is very unfortunate as even care providers and support persons for survivors of sexual assault are unsafe in the capital. The counsellor girl, who was going to the hospital to assist a survivor, ended up having to be medically treated herself. I have issued a notice to the Delhi Police. The accused persons must be arrested immediately and strict action should be taken against them."