Jorhat college students stage massive protest against eve-teasing

FROM A CORRESPONDENT

JORHAT, Feb 9: Hundreds of students in Jorhat staged a massive protest in the heart of the town on Thursday against the district administration for its failure to ensure protection of college girls.

The college students upped their ante against the administration following an update on social media on eve-teasing by a college girl on Wednesday. A TDC third year student of JB College, Jorhat posted on her Facebook page on Wednesday that she had been facing eve-teasing and harassment by some unknown miscreants at DCB Road, Jorhat since the past few days. She also stated that many of her friends had also been suffering from the same problem. The eve teasers, wearing masks and riding motorcycles, often follow them, touch them ippropriately, pass obscene remarks and try to outrage their modesty.

The social media update was later forwarded to the Jorhat Deputy Commissioner Virendra Mittal who in response forwarded the same to the SP Jorhat. “This message has been passed to SP, Jorhat to take strict action. Already police has identified the girl and is making plans to address the problem of eve-teasing,” Mittal stated on social media.

Meanwhile, hours after the update of the girl, hundreds of college students from both JB College and DCB College, with support of All Assam Students’ Union (AASU), Jorhat unit, gathered in front of Deputy Commissioner’s office here and staged dhar against the administration at around 11 am on Thursday. They also blocked the busy AT Road for more than two hours and shouted slogans against the administration. They also demanded the administration to ensure their protection immediately. Later, they submitted a memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner with their various demands.

AASU Jorhat regiol unit adviser Bijoy Bordoloi said, “We demanded the administration to introduce a helpline service for college girls, to install streetlights and CCTV cameras at DCB Road and to appoint security guards in the vulnerable areas to ensure protection of college girls.”