Amid the massive protests in Kolkata and beyond over the recent brutal sexual assault and murder of an on-duty trainee doctor at the state-run RG Kar Medical College Hospital, an incident of street harassment faced by a female journalist while waiting for a cab near Noida's DLF Mall surfaced on social media.
According to journalist Sonal Pateria's series of tweets, while she was waiting for a cab, a man riding a pillion on a bike reportedly waved at her and then made a lewd remark, asking “kya rate legi?”(What is your rate?).
“Trigger warning: Harassment. I was waiting for my cab near DLF m, Sector -18, Noida. A bike crossed and the guy sitting at the back waved and asked ‘kya rate legi’. He didn’t even stop and everything happened within a flick of seconds. Thankfully, I’m back at home safely right now,” Pateria wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
Further elaborating on her other frequent experiences of unwanted attention in public, Sonal Pateria also recalled that a random man greeted her on her way to the sector-18 metro station in Noida in broad daylight.
“I was not shocked, then I eased myself thinking that maybe he’s a viewer of my journalistic work. But I was wrong,” she added. The man reportedly later justified his actions as a mere attempt to get familiar with her.
Further citing another harrowing experience at Delhi’s Rajiv Chowk, Pateria recounted, “The other day I was at Rajeev Chowk metro station, a random guy came, asked for my number because again- He found me beautiful by looks and potential enough to be his plus one.”
“All of this happened this month only. I’ll not be defensive about what I was wearing or what the time was. Because none of that matters. What matters is that I and a lot of women like me live in constant fear. And we have no energy left to report each and every case,” she further expressed.
Pateria's thread of tweets ended with a post saying, “Delhi NCR streets are full of dogs at night. They start barking or following when you cross by their side. I’m less scared of them now. At least they stop when you stand or they have fear of sticks. These men whom I came across, are not scared of anything!”
Responding to the thread sharing the harrowing daily experiences of a young female journalist in Delhi-NCR, the official X handle of DCP Noida said, “The investigation of the above case has been given to Assistant Deputy Commissioner of Police, Noida, and a team will be formed under the leadership of Assistant Commissioner of Police Noida and strict action will be taken against the accused by investigating the CCTV footage etc. around the incident site.”
The journalist shared an update on the matter. She said that she has received a call from police. Pateria wrote, “I have received a call from ACP Praveen Singh, he assured that they will do every possible thing.”
“Though I believe, this issue is more of a cultural problem rather than law and order. Still, Noida Police took this case in their hands. Looking up for the action & updates,” she added.
