NEW DELHI: Delhi Commission for Women issued a notice to Delhi Transport Corporation and Delhi Police on Monday over a suicide attempt by a Civil Defence volunteer who worked as woman bus marshal. She had allegedly been assaulted and harassed by bus depot staff.
Delhi Police recorded the woman’s statement on Monday in which she alleged physical assault and harassment for sexual favours by some DTC employees. A case has been registered and investigation is under way. The marshal has been discharged from hospital after treatment.
“The police control room received a call related to abuse and physical assault at Subhash Place bus depot (Wazirpur bus depot). Police reached the site where the caller, a woman bus marshal, aged 23 years, alleged physical assault and abuse by her colleague, Sachin Kaushik, a Civil Defence volunteer,” said Usha Rangnai, CDP (Northwest). “They later came to the police station and reconciled.”
Rangnani continued, “On July 23, the woman came to the police station along with her advocate and submitted a complaint alleging harassment and eve teasing by Kaushik, Vishal and Rampal, both employees of DTC, and also complained against the depot manager for inaction on her complaint. Both the parties were called for verification of facts. The accused revealed that a departmental enquiry had been initiated against the complainant on July 1 for misconduct and on July 20, she was terminated from work.”
In her complaint to DCW, the woman accused the bus conductor of asking sexual favours from her. A commission official said, "The woman said the man also took Rs 25,000 from her to get her transferred from the depot. She claimed to have filed a complaint against the bus conductor but no action was taken. In fact, after her complaint, the depot manager and other staff instead started harassing her along with the conductor."
The woman also told the commission that she had filed a complaint against the depot staff at Keshavpuram police station.
Calling it a serious matter, DCW chief Swati Maliwal pointed out, "The safety and security of female bus marshals is paramount and a responsibility of DTC. The woman bus marshal has made serious allegations that need to be thoroughly investigated and the guilty brought to task. Strict action must be taken against the individuals involved in harassing the survivor."
