Mohini Giri

The former chairperson of the National Commission for Women was allegedly beaten up when she tried to help a teenage girl who was being molested by a group of men in Vasant Kunj.

Dr. V. Mohini Giri (76), who headed the commission in the mid-nineties, said the incident took place near Sanjay Van last Saturday. Dr. Giri had also sought action in a written complaint sent to Delhi Police Commissioner B. S. Bassi.

However, no case was registered till late Wednesday but Delhi Police spokesperson Rajan Bhagat said that Deputy Commissioner of Police (South) B. S. Jaiswal has been told to initiate a probe into the matter.

According to Dr. Giri, the staff of a police control room van stationed nearby refused to intervene despite repeated requests.

Due to the injuries sustained by her, Dr. Giri could not visit the local police but had mailed her complaint to the Delhi Police Commissioner.

“What I saw was a shameful assault on a girl by a gang of young boys. As I went closer to really understand the situation, what I witnessed just shook me to the core. They were trying to molest her by tearing off her clothes,” an excerpt from the e-mail reads.

Dr. Giri said that while she was trying to save the girl, a PCR van passed by and she tried to stop it. The driver, however, did not help her saying he had to drive his senior officer somewhere else.

A person from the group then allegedly started to physically assault Dr. Giri asking her to mind her own business. After the incident, Dr. Giri went to her son’s house where she was provided first aid.

http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-newdelhi/mohini-giri-attacked-while-trying-to-save-a-girl-from-being-molested/article6358479.ece