Harassment of Sakinaka girls must end right now

Despite parental confrontation, the harassers remain unaffected

Young girls from Sakinaka are scared of attending school owing to ongoing harassment from a group of minor boys from the adjoining slums, while they pass through the area. Despite multiple complaints, the local police have said they are constrained by the legal limitations of taking action against minors.

The girls' families have documented incidents, and have sought justice through the high court, our front- page report said. The girls suffer as lewd gestures and remarks passed by these boys continue. Parents of the victims had approached the Bombay High Court as the Child Welfare Committee disapproved permission to register an FIR against the group of minor boys. The boys have broken the CCTV of the school gate to destroy the evidence.

It is unacceptable that girls have to face this. It is time children's NGOs are roped in. While it is fine to claim that the boys are minors, the girls facing this ordeal daily are minors too.

Legislation does exist, but the boys can be stopped at the very least by police or if they are so brazen, their families need to be roped in by those concerned and action has to be taken on the adults if they cannot stop their children.

It is shocking and gut-wrenching those parents need to move court in such a scenario. One must also highlight that the girls need to have access to a counsellor if they are undergoing trauma because of this, Never dismiss comments or gestures lightly, as this is molestation and has a significant impact on the mind. These boys seem to be emboldened by the fact that no action has been taken against them, actually defying despairing parents, who may be going through their own turmoil, seeing their daughters harassed. One fears the situation is at a tipping point and may take a dangerous turn. This needs to end, somehow.