The sight of several women going for a run in the heart of Delhi in the middle of the night is not something you see everyday. But on Sunday night, about 200 women, flanked by heavy police presence, ran 5 kilometres around the Inner Circle of Connaught Place as part of an initiative to encourage women to reclaim public spaces.
The event, organised by the Delhi Police and an NGO, was, however, more a symbol than a prescription.
“We’re not saying all women should start running at night wherever they are. It is important to be concerned about your safety and take necessary precautions. But it’s also important to shed the fear that it’s unsafe to go out at night," said New Delhi Deputy Commissioner of Police Madhur Verma.
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Manimala Ghosh, whose daughter and granddaughter both took part in the run, concurred. “If a person has an interest they should just pursue it, you can't live in fear," she said.
But, what would happen if not for the police? At every 100 meters of the circuit, a sentry stood guard.
NEW DELHI, 09/09/2018: Women seen taking part in a 'Midnight Run' for women organised by Delhi Police at Cannought Place in New Delhi on Sunday Midnight . | Photo Credit: Sushil Kumar Verma
Sujata Negi, a freelance trainer, believes running in Delhi is doable. “You don’t hear about as many rape cases here. But if this event was happening in Gurgaon or Noida, even my folks would have probably stopped me going," she said.
Shiv Kumar, a night guard at Palika Bazar, from where the race was flagged off, thought the whole thing was quite curious. “Normally there are more women here than men anyway. I don’t understand what all the fuss is about," he quipped.