A 23-year-old woman's calls to the Delhi Police control room fell on deaf ears even as the woman was fighting a man allegedly harassing her outside the New Delhi Railway Station on Thursday. The student of architecture from Jamia Milia Islamia University had to fight her way through not only the harassment alone as the Delhi Police did not turn up at the spot to save her despite repeated calls.

According to the victim, the incident occurred at around 6.30 pm. "I was standing outside the New Delhi Metro Station looking for a rickshaw to Paharganj when a drunk rickshaw-puller came running after me and forced me to go with him."

"I refused and kept walking until he came rushing and grabbed my hand and said, 'Ab tu mere he saath chalegi' (Now you will have to go with me alone)." The victim said, "I turned around and smashed the water bottle in my hand, on his face. Later, I slapped him and dragged him to the police post, right in gate number 1 of the metro station."

When the victim entered the post, not a single policeman was present. It was the locals who helped her dial the mentioned helpline numbers. She narrated the entire incident to the person on the other side.

"The person told me that, 'madam bas paanch mint mein police bhejta hoon' (Madam, I will send the police in just five minutes), then I called again after 15 minutes and he repeated the same sentences. I kept waiting for 30 minutes until that accused shamelessly said madam please forgive and go as no one is going to come," said the victim.

With no law at her rescue, the victim began beating the accused with a stick. She kept beating him till he began begging for mercy and his arms started to bleed.

The victim narrated the entire ordeal on the internet, following which the Delhi Police spoke to her and assured action. The Delhi Police has also suspended two officers, a duty officer and an investigating officer to whom the call was marked, over laxity and not taking necessary action.

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