The Supreme Court has expressed serious concern over a series of recent rape cases in Delhi-NCR and called for stronger measures to prevent crimes against women. The court has taken suo motu cognisance of the incidents and stressed that women’s safety cannot remain limited to policies and official statements.
A bench of Justices J B Pardiwala and K Vinod Chandran said women should be able to travel freely and safely in Delhi-NCR, including late at night and while using public transport. The court stressed that preventing crimes should be given priority instead of focusing only on action after an offence has taken place.
The bench also said authorities need to create a strong deterrent against those who commit crimes against women. It observed that police may have to take strict measures when necessary and called for greater patrolling in public places.
The Supreme Court also highlighted the importance of functioning CCTV cameras and adequate lighting in vulnerable areas. It said public spaces such as parks and buses cannot become high-risk zones because of poor surveillance, inadequate lighting or a lack of basic safety facilities.
The court’s intervention comes after several disturbing cases in the Delhi-NCR region. In one case, a teenage girl was allegedly gang-raped inside a moving sleeper bus while travelling from Greater Noida towards Delhi. The bus travelled nearly 47 kilometres before reaching Kashmere Gate.
Another recent case involved the alleged gang rape of a 17-year-old girl at Aastha Kunj Park in South Delhi. Police have arrested three accused in that case.
The Supreme Court said the recent incidents raise serious questions about public safety and the effectiveness of existing systems. The court’s proceedings will examine what steps authorities can take to improve women’s safety across Delhi-NCR.
