More than 300 people participated in a protest march from outside Andheri station (West) up to Amboli on Sunday, demanding that eve-teasing be made a non-bailable offence.
More than 300 people participated in a protest march from outside Andheri station (West) up to Amboli on Sunday, demanding that eve-teasing be made a non-bailable offence. The march was organised to protest the recent murder of Reuben Fernandes and Keenan Santos, the two Amboli residents who died after being assaulted by a mob for standing up to an eve-teaser last month. The march ended at the spot where the incident took place with supporters lighting candles in memory of the men.
The march was organised by non-government organisations (NGOs) Yuva Satta and Zero Tolerance. The activists also received support from India Against Corruption, the NGO under the leadership of anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare.
Organiser Priyadarshini Ohol said that a signature campaign was being undertaken with public support and an online campaign through social networking websites. “The campaign is to demand that sections 354 and 509 of the Indian Penal Code be made stronger. At present, offences such as eve-teasing and sexual harassment are bailable. This is one of the major reasons why offenders soon turn out to be habitual offenders. In the case of Reuben and Keenan, the offenders went to the extent of killing those who opposed them. So we want eve-teasing to be declared a non-bailable offence.”
While the families of both the deceased stayed away from the march, the NGO activists said they had their full support. And even though officials of DN Nagar police station said that the activists did not take any permission before undertaking the march, it proceeded peacefully amidst heavy police presence.
Regarding the FIR lodged against the offenders which bore no mention of sexual harassment or eve-teasing, one of the NGO representatives, Maitri Awchat said that the girls, who were the victims of eve-teasing on that fateful October evening, will soon be giving their statements to the police.
Earlier in the day, Father Franklin Mathias, parish priest of Amboli church, to which Keenan’s parents belong, held a council meeting and decided to join the protest march. “We have decided that since we are part of society and there is already a movement begun by residents, we will join it. Along with that we will also hold signature campaign,” said Mathias, and added, “On November 20, we are organising a special prayer meet. We have given moral support to the family and will continue to give them the support that is needed.”
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