LSR students stage solidarity march over gang rape of minor near Aastha Kunj, demand women's safety

Chants of “Azaadi” echoed outside Delhi University’s Lady Shri Ram College for Women (LSR) Wednesday as students took out a solidarity march following the alleged gang rape of a 17-year-old girl near Aastha Kunj, turning the spotlight on longstanding concerns over women’s safety around the college and adjoining areas.

The all-women march saw students carrying posters and raising slogans demanding stronger security infrastructure and safer public spaces. Most participants had their faces covered, but marched through the area chanting “Meri mukti, teri mukti, nari mukti, zindabad” and “Azaadi”. The students proceeded towards Moolchand Metro station before returning to the college.

‘Moral policing won’t stop rape’

“Moral policing women will not stop rape” and “A woman’s body isn’t a battleground for your power” were among the messages displayed during the protest. Another poster circulated ahead of the march read, “It’s not my fault I crave the night air, it’s your fault you crave taking it away from me.” The march had been opened to “all women and queerfolk”.

The protesters said the demonstration was both an expression of solidarity with the survivor and a demand that authorities address what they described as persistent security shortcomings around the college. Students flagged inadequate street lighting, insufficient CCTV surveillance, irregular police patrolling and a dysfunctional pink booth among the problems requiring immediate attention.

Several students alleged that incidents of stalking and harassment near the college’s back gate had repeatedly been brought to the administration’s notice but concerns over security in the area had persisted.

The protest came two days after the alleged sexual assault of the 17-year-old near Aastha Kunj Park in southeast Delhi, close to Kalkaji Mandir. The incident had prompted LSR to cancel regular classes Tuesday and shift Wednesday’s classes online.

Safety concerns return

LSR Principal Kanika K Ahuja had said the safety, security and well-being of students remained the institution’s highest priority and that faculty mentors and counsellors were available to support students following the incident.

The alleged assault has once again brought the safety of women in public spaces around the South Delhi campus into focus. Students said their concerns extended beyond one incident and included the everyday experience of travelling to and from college, particularly after dark.

Their posters also sought to challenge the tendency to restrict women’s mobility following incidents of sexual violence. Students argued that the response to such crimes should focus on making public spaces safer rather than placing additional restrictions on women or questioning why they were outside at a particular time.

The protesters demanded better lighting on stretches surrounding the college, functioning surveillance systems, more regular police patrols and effective operation of facilities specifically created for women’s safety.

Solidarity with survivor

The march remained focused on solidarity with the minor survivor, whose identity is legally protected. Students avoided identifying her while demanding accountability and stronger preventive measures.

Three men have been arrested in connection with the alleged assault. Police have been investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident and the roles of the accused. Since the survivor is a minor, the case also attracts provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act.

For the protesting students, however, Wednesday’s march was also intended to make a broader point — that fear of sexual violence should not determine when and where women can access public spaces.

As the students returned to the college after marching towards Moolchand, the chants of “Azaadi” underlined that demand: greater freedom to move through the city without fear, backed by security measures that make public spaces safer rather than restrictions that confine women.