Horrific crimes against women seem to rise with every passing second in the country. Rape, molestation, sexual harassment – how many times does one point out the growing violence against females? Every single time, however major or minor the misdeed is. Recently, an Agra-based journalist named Damini Mahaur posted a detailed note on Facebook about her dreadful experience of getting chased by two drunk men. What made the female journo feel more appalled was Uttar Pradesh women power helpline who ignored her distress calls. It was only after Damini’s Facebook post went viral, police jumped into action.

Damini Mahaur is a TV news anchor at Den News Agra, one of the biggest cable TV networks in Uttar Pradesh. But it is her courageous post that has taken the social media by storm. In a tell-all note, the journalist narrates her ordeal that took place on the evening of January 25 she was returning from work. Two guys in an inebriated condition on a motorcycle began chasing Damini who was on foot. Ignoring their antics, she continued walking but when the two tried to talk to her, she got scared and changed her route. Nevertheless, the undaunted men continued to harass her which propelled Damini to take pictures of her offenders.

“I decided to take a picture of the number plate, but the man sitting on the pillion said it was a fake number and even struck a pose. There was no fear or shame on the youths' face," she writes. Once home, an upset Damini decided to lodge a complaint with Uttar Pradesh women helpline number 1090. She explained the entire scenario to the communication officer who later told her she would receive a complaint register number. But even after four days post filing a complaint, she received no such number. It was then Damini decided to post the nightmarish incident on Facebook. She rounded off her note by writing how ashamed she is of SSP Agra, women helpline, DGP UP and state chief minister Yogi Adityanath.

Speaking to Times of India, Mahaur said, "I was not helped for four days even after I made a distress call to UP women helpline 1090 explaining to the communication officer about the incident. Finally, when I wrote about the incident on Facebook, the 1090 officers contacted me and apologised for laxity in carrying out their duty." In the same report, IG Navneet Sakera, in charge of 1090 said, ‘We have apologised to her for the incident and have also suspended two communication officers who failed to follow the standard operation protocol and showed laxity.’

Shlok Kumar, ASP Agra was quoted by news agency ANI saying, ‘We got the information of the incident by a tweet. Based on that we contacted the lady & filed an FIR. The accused were arrested & booked for stalking and harassing. Their vehicle has been seized.’ The two guys are booked under IPC section 354D (following a woman and contacting, or attempting to contact such a woman to foster personal interaction repeatedly despite a clear indication of disinterest by such a woman).

The two miscreants are finally behind the bar. But the worrying factor in Uttar Pradesh remains same – what use is of the women helpline number or police when they cannot do their duty on time and not wait for a social media post to go viral. Like Damini stated in her note that the misbehaviour against her may not be a big incident but why to wait for a grave crime to take place.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 30, 2018 05:17 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).