Supreme Court emphasizes need to deter criminals targeting women in Delhi-NCR

A bench of Justices J B Pardiwala and K Vinod Chandran, hearing a suo motu case on recent sexual assault incidents in the region, emphasized that preventive measures must take priority over post-crime responses. The court expressed concern that many women in the capital region do not feel safe, particularly during late evening hours or while using public transport such as metro services. "We have to work together. We must ensure that every woman in Delhi-NCR should feel safe even at 11 pm whether travelling on the roads or the metro," the bench stated. The judges underscored that police authorities need to establish a climate of fear among potential offenders and anti-social elements prone to committing such crimes. The bench acknowledged that rape remains universally unacceptable across societies, noting that prevention of crimes must supersede measures taken after offences occur. The court is seized of a suo motu case specifically addressing the spate of rape incidents reported across the Delhi-NCR region.