Rain-Soaked March at Delhi University Puts Women's Safety Back in Focus

Rain did not stop hundreds of Delhi University students on Monday as they marched from Miranda House through North Campus, raising slogans for safer streets and public spaces. The gathering at the Faculty of Arts, near the Swami Vivekananda statue, was the largest of several student actions that followed the alleged gang rape of a 17-year-old girl at Aastha Kunj Park near Kalkaji Mandir. Students from Miranda House started outside Gate No. 7 and walked along Chhatra Marg. Others from different colleges joined at the Faculty of Arts. Many held soaked placards that read messages rejecting restrictions on women and calling for real change. Chants of “Hum Auratein Azaad Hain” and “Cute nahi, Kranti hai hum” carried through the wet streets. Organisers described the march as independent and open to women and queer participants. The protest came days after the September 21 incident in which a 17-year-old girl was allegedly assaulted by three men while she was in the park with a friend after visiting Kalkaji Mandir. Police arrested the three accused, identified as Asif, Hemant and Mukesh, soon after the complaint. The case has renewed worry among students who use parks, roads and public transport near colleges every day. Earlier marches had taken place near Lady Shri Ram College, Gargi College and Kamala Nehru College. Some students said temporary online classes at certain colleges after the incident offered only short-term relief. Their demands focus on practical steps: working street lights around campuses, hostels and parks, more frequent buses, functional public toilets, and regular police presence without limiting women’s movement. Many pointed out that safety measures should not mean locking girls indoors or restricting their access to public places. For students living in paying guest accommodations or travelling long distances, the fear of poorly lit stretches and empty roads after evening classes is familiar. Parents too have been asking colleges and authorities for clearer action on campus surroundings. Teachers and senior students at the march spoke about the need for consistent infrastructure rather than one-off responses after every incident. The North Campus march showed students are unwilling to treat safety as a temporary talking point. They want streets and parks that feel usable at all hours, not just during daylight. As the rain continued and posters grew heavier, the message remained simple: freedom and safety must go together for young women studying and living in the city.