Sir — This refers to the editorial, “Both education and safety” (July 24). You have made valid observations on the safety of school-going girls in Uttar Pradesh and elsewhere too. But it is an issue which not only Governments but the society too has to take care of, to ensure the security of girls. It has taken a gradual change of mindset over a period of time for parents in rural India, especially north India, to allow their girls to go to school. Even then, most of the female students have to drop out after a certain stage as the next higher class may not be available close to their village.
It should be noted that many times, such incidents of eve-teasing have the potential to turn into full-fledged communal riots if the victim and the accused belong to different religious communities.