'In J&K, 15 to 70-year-old men tease women in buses'

Ahmed Ali Fayyaz

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SRINAGAR, May 31: While deflating the opposition criticism to floating of all-women buses in J&K, Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti complained in Legislative Council on Tuesday that eave teasing was commonplace in all buses as male passengers had been subjecting female commuters to molestation and other shameful acts.

"I am a woman and I have seen it for myself. Honourable members I wish you were women. From 15-year-old to 60/70-year-old, male commuters indulge in untold shameful acts. Fortunately they don't target tourists but they do it all under our nose. They press and push and pull. College students and government employees suffer it daily", Mehbooba said.

Chief Minister referred to the recently exposed incident of Khour (Jammu) and said that SHO had sexually exploited a helpless woman.

"In burn wards of hospitals, we come to know how women are even today subjected to harassment and exploitation and forced to self - immolation. When we ask them who did it with them, they say they would not reveal as they had to go back to their husband's home", Mehbooba said.

She said that she would launch more all-women buses and set up more women police stations.

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[Published in today's STATE TIMES]