Pickpockets make merry during stir

Sleazy act

A number of people have been complaining of some fringe elements in the movement creating a nuisance -harassing and misbehaving with women, raising vulgar slogans and picking pockets.

Shanta Sharma, a student of Delhi University, said that she was harassed by a group of men returning from a protest site on Wednesday evening.

“My friend and I were on our way back to the hostel from Connaught Place. We de-boarded the metro at GTB Nagar station and were shocked to hear loud whistles and some nasty comments,” Sharma said.

“When we looked back, it was a group of young men holding flags and wearing t-shirts with 'We support Anna' written on them. We really didn't know how to react. These people have no idea what Anna is fighting for. They have no respect for women and are out there only to have fun,” she said. Shikha Singh, a media professional, had a similar tale to narrate. “The Central Secretariat Metro station was crowded even at 11 pm last (Wednesday) night and most of the people had come from the rally at India Gate in support of Anna. All the men entered the women's coach and started passing obscene comments. I am sure Anna will be very unhappy if he hears about such cheap behaviour on part of his supporters. But the thing is, Anna cannot take the responsibility of all his supporters' behaviour and if he doesn't, then who will,” Singh asked.

Narrating yet another horror tale, Sudhisha Bhola, a young marketing professional, who was stuck in a traffic jam near Jantar Mantar during the rally Wednesday, said: “You could see that most of the youngsters in the crowd were attending the rally just for fun and didn't even know what the Lokpal bill is.”

Outside the Tihar Jail, even female journalists were not spared. “Many shouting cheap slogans gathered around two female TV reporters and pushed them around. When they tried to get away, the crowd followed them. Finally, we had to intervene to shoo away the crowd, most of whom were minors,” a police officer said. He added that at least four-five incidents of pick-pocketing were being lodged every day.