The incident details a disturbing attack on a 23-year-old woman journalist who was assaulted and molested by a group of six to seven drunk youths inside the subway of Sodepur railway station in Kolkata. The journalist was targeted late at night (Dashami night) after resisting and physically confronting the men who were making obscene remarks.
The core outrage stems from two profound failures:
Public Indifference: Despite the journalist screaming for help, multiple people present “only watched from the stairs” and refused to step forward, highlighting a severe breakdown of civic responsibility and a culture of public apathy toward victims of sexual violence.
Police Apathy: The victim alleged that two on-duty Government Railway Police (GRP) personnel on platform number 4 initially refused to intervene, instructing her to first identify the accused before they would lodge a complaint. This alleged dereliction of duty by the police is a critical concern regarding the safety of commuters.
Only after a senior GRP officer intervened was action initiated, leading to the identification of two accused via CCTV footage. The attack underscores the severe security lapses at suburban railway stations and the systemic challenge in ensuring women’s safety in public spaces.
Considering the failure of both the public and on-duty personnel to act, what is the Kolkata Police’s immediate plan to enforce accountability for non-intervention in cases of public assault?
#Kolkata #SubwaySafety #WomensSafety #PublicApathy #PoliceAccountability #JusticeForJournalist #SodepurAssault
