Mere alertness can't stop assault on girls: minister

Amidst a spurt in crime against women, West Bengal's agricultural marketing minister Arup Roy said mere administrative alertness will not help stop assault and rape of school and college students in the state.
In a letter to the state's education minister Bratya Basu, Roy said "We are observing that there were regular physical assault and rape of school and college going girls. This has turned into a social malady."
He urged upom the education minister to make karate or physical training compulsory at the school and college level.
"From the point of view of social responsibility, I feel if training is imparted to all girls in the society, they can protect themselves from physical assaults and will be able to establish their self respect," the agricultural marketing minister said in his letter to Basu.