A tourist city under cloud as harassment cases hit Jaipur’s image

JAIPUR: The city police’s loud claims of safeguarding women are increasingly ringing hollow, as a spate of brazen harassment and molestation incidents continue to surface, exposing glaring gaps between promise and policing.

The govt had, in 2024, announced the rollout of Kalika units—another dedicated women safety squad—to supplement the existing Nirbhaya teams. But both initiatives now appear to have made little tangible impact in deterring crimes or reassuring citizens.

Despite aggressive branding of special squads such as Nirbhaya and Kalika units, pitched as visible deterrents,the reality on the ground tells a harsher, more unsettling story.

The cracks were evident on March 26, when a video showing a man misbehaving with a foreign female tourist near Jal Mahal went viral, triggering outrage. Yet, days later in April, police maintained that no FIR had been filed and no probe was initiated—raising serious questions about accountability in cases that directly dent the city’s global image.

If that was not damaging enough, the situation escalated further when a Japanese tourist filed an FIR on April 7, alleging she was stalked and molested by a group of youths near Jaigarh Fort. The complaint left police red-faced and forced multiple arrests, showing how reactive, rather than preventive, enforcement has become.

Barely two days later, on April 9, another disturbing video surfaced, showing two men on a bike harassing and molesting a woman riding pillion on a taxi bike.

Even as that incident sparked anger, an unverified clip, believed to be from Malviya Nagar, began circulating widely, purportedly showing a pregnant woman being harassed on a street. The back-to-back visuals have compounded public fear and anger, especially among women navigating the city’s streets.

These are not isolated flashes of misconduct but part of a deeper, systemic problem. Jaipur has ranked among the lowest-performing cities in the National Annual Report & Index on Women’s Safety (NARI) 2025, which surveyed 31 major cities on women’s sense of safety across day and night, and their experiences in public spaces.

Despite its reputation as a major tourist hub, the findings are stark. Around 8% of women reported facing harassment—higher than the all-city average of 7%. Of those, 58% said they were harassed once, 23% more than once, and 15% twice. The nature of harassment ranged from verbal abuse (57%) to physical (39%), psychological (10%), sexual (3%) and even economic (2%).

Perception of safety is equally troubling. Only 15% of respondents rated Jaipur as “highly safe,” compared to 19% nationally. Just 32% termed it “safe” against the national average of 41%, while neutral responses stood significantly higher at 39%, pointing to a deep-seated lack of confidence in public safety mechanisms.

Facing mounting criticism, a senior police official said on Sunday that five women PCR vans had been flagged off to ensure swift response to complaints received via the 1090 helpline. However, the announcement has raised more eyebrows than confidence, with no clear answer on how a sprawling city like Jaipur is expected to rely on just five such vehicles.

Officials said the PCR vans would operate in two shifts—7am to 3pm and 3pm to 11pm—under the supervision of the Police Control Room, responding immediately to distress calls. But the absence of round-the-clock coverage and limited fleet size also point out to the inadequacy of the response.

Another official, speaking on condition of anonymity, claimed that 23 suspects were arrested during patrols on Saturday alone and insisted that the police were ramping up awareness programmes, including self-defence training for women.

BOX 1

March 26: Viral video shows a man misbehaving with a foreign female tourist near Jal Mahal; police later say no FIR was filed and no probe initiated.

April 7: Japanese tourist files FIR alleging she was stalked and molested by a group of youths near Jaigarh Fort; multiple arrests follow.

April 9: Video surfaces of two men on a bike harassing and molesting a woman riding pillion on a taxi bike.

April 10: Unverified video circulates, believed to be from Malviya Nagar, showing a pregnant woman being harassed on a street.

BOX 2

Jaipur ranked among the lowest-performing cities in the National Annual Report & Index on Women’s Safety (NARI) 2025.

8% of women reported facing harassment in the city—higher than the all-city average of 7%.

Among those harassed, 58% faced it once, 23% more than once, and 15% twice

Only 15% of respondents rated Jaipur as “highly safe” and 32% as “safe,” both below national averages, while a high 39% remained neutral, indicating weak public confidence.

Box 3

Girls and women visiting crowded places should save five Nirbhaya helpline numbers on their phones.

Save the numbers as: Nirbhaya 1 (8764866090), Nirbhaya 2 (8764866091), Nirbhaya 3 (8764866092), Nirbhaya 4 (8764866093), Nirbhaya 5 (8764866094).

In case of trouble or any adverse situation, messages can be sent to these numbers.

Messages can be in written, verbal, audio, video, or recorded formats.

The helpline provides immediate assistance and operates 24 hours.
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