DCW notice to police over snatching case involving woman journalist

The Delhi Commission For Women (DCW) on Tuesday issued a notice to police seeking details of the investigation in a case in which a female journalist was injured while resisting a snatching bid in the national capital.

DCW chief Swati Maliwal also met the journalist at AIIMS, where she is undergoing treatment.

"The recovery is slow and the trauma is quite a bit because it happened in an instant and in an unexpected manner. The physical hurt is quite a bit," Maliwal told PTI.

She is finding it difficult but will recover as she's a strong woman, the DCW chief said.

"The system fails women and children," Maliwal said and appealed to the Centre to make laws pertaining to such incidents stricter.

"Police are yet to make any arrests in the case. Snatching cases have gone up. We will be writing to the Centre to make laws pertaining to snatching harsher and it should be made a non-bailable offence so that there is fear among the perpetrators," she added.

In her complaint, the woman stated that after shopping in south Delhi's CR park on Sunday evening, she was returning home in an auto-rickshaw when two men on a motorcycle snatched her mobile phone. In the struggle, she fell from the auto while the men fled the spot, a senior police officer said.

"This is a very serious matter. Incidents of snatching and subsequent assaults, especially on women and girls, are rampant in Delhi," the DCW said in the notice.

The panel has sought a copy of the FIR, details of steps taken by the police to identify and arrest the accused and copy of the CCTV footage related to the incident.

The DCW has sought a detailed status report on the investigation in the matter. The police have been given time till September 28 to respond to the notice.

After the incident came to light, Maliwal had tweeted on Monday, "So distressing. Female journalist pulled out of moving auto by mobile snatcher suffers multiple injury inc jaw fracture. Why no arrest by @DelhiPolice in 24 hours? DCW will record statements of girl & take action. Delhi is really unsafe! Police has a lot to answer for! (sic)"

Delhi Police data shows they registered 6,466 snatching cases in 2017, 4,707 in 2018 and 4,516 till September 15 this year.