Mumbai: In the background of murder of two
youths who resisted an eve-teasing attempt on their female
companions by four persons, about 300 citizens on Sunday took out
a march in the suburban Mumbai demanding eve teasing be made a
non-bailable offence.
The long march from Andheri (west) to Amboli was
organised to protest against the recent murders of Reuben
Fernandes and Keenan Santos, who were killed after they
protested against eve-teasing.
The march was organised by the activists belonging to
NGOs Yuva Satta and Zero Tolerance as well as India against
Corruption.
"We are carrying out a signature campaign, both
through public support and with an online campaign through
social networking websites. The campaign is to demand that
sections 354 and 509 of the Indian Penal Code must be made
stronger. At present offences such as eve teasing and sexual
harassment are bailable.
This is one of the major reasons why offenders soon
turn out to be habitual offenders--which were clearly seen
during the incident which eventually took the lives of Reuben
and Keenan. The offenders went to an extent of killing those
who opposed them. Hence we want the offence to be declared as
a non-bailable offence," the activists said.
We were preparing a petition with at least on lakh
signatures to be sent to Home Minister RR Patil, they added.
Meanwhile, family members of both the victims did not
participate in the march.
On October 20, Rueben Fernandes (28) and Keenan Sentos
(25) were attacked with choppers by a group of four, after the
duo objected to their alleged acts of indecent behaviour
against their women companions. Keenan died on the spot,
while Rueben died in a hospital on last Monday.
The victims along with five others, including three
girls, had gone to a bar to have dinner. After a while, they
came out of the restaurant and were standing near a pan-shop,
when the incident had occurred, police had said.
PTI
