The Indira Gandhi International (IGI) airport in Delhi may be the centre of multi-layered security rings, but they have failed to make women employees safe. Two women working for a private firm at the airport have registered an FIR against their general manager, alleging that he had been sexually harassing them for more than a year.
"The anti-terror squad will not come to rescue employees like us who feel terrorised every day. We are not the only ones to face this," one of them said.
The woman, who joined a private firm at the airport in October 2014, said: "The harassment started weeks after my joining. Starting from calls and messages, he gradually started inviting me for dinners and late-night movies. As I kept ignoring, I was threatened that my promotions and increments would be held," said the 21-year-old.
From shaking hands to seeing her off after work, the man used to touch her inappropriately despite her repeated refusals, she said.
"I can't divulge details of certain incidents as they have left me horrified," the victim said. She added that despite bringing the matter to the notice of authorities at their head office in Hong Kong, no action was taken. "After I protested, I have not been promoted and my increment has been blocked," she claimed.
The other woman, who also claimed that she was repeatedly warned of dire consequences for lodging an FIR, refused to share the details of her experience.
A senior police officer told DNA that an FIR dated March 23, 2017, has been registered on the two women's complaints under IPC Sections 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty) and 354A (making unwanted physical contact ) at the IGI police station and the matter is being probed.
In February this year, DNA reported that another ground staffer at the IGI airport had registered a complaint with the Delhi police, alleging that one of her senior colleagues inside T3 has been putting pressure on her for sexual favours. The complainant claimed that she has been facing this harassment for the last three months, and that the colleague has threatened her that she might lose her job for turning him down.
An FIR was registered at the IGI police station on February 6, 2017, senior police officials told DNA. In her complaint, dated February 4, the woman alleged that her duty manager had been asking her for sexual favours.
The woman has been working in the aviation industry for the last three years. She also said that when she resisted, the man told her that many others have been shunted from the company for turning him down and that she may meet with a similar fate. In April 2015, police at the IGI faced a similar case when a Bengaluru-based woman alleged that she was verbally and sexually harassed by an immigration officer while her clearance was underway.
According to the complaint, she was asked inappropriate questions like whether she consumed alcohol, smoked, or if she sleeps with other men when her husband was away, said a senior police officer. An FIR at IGI police station was registered following her complaint.
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