A mob of 70-80 men shamed India’s safest city groped and molested two young women for some 15 minutes on a busy main street in Mumbai’s glamour district Juhu early on New Year’s Day.
An identical incident had shamed India’s safest city exactly a year ago — a girl was molested by New Year’s eve revellers at the Gateway of India. That incident was captured on film by a popular Mumbai tabloid; Tuesday morning’s horror was shot by two Hindustan Times lensmen who happened to be on the spot.
The women — one in a black dress, the other in a jeans and top — emerged from the JW Marriott with two male friends around 1.45 am, and began walking towards Juhu beach close by.
A mob of about 40 got after them and began teasing the women. One of the women swore loudly at the hooligans.
But the mob, now 70-80 strong, wouldn’t let go. They trapped the women near a vehicle and a tree, and pounced on them. A man in a white shirt tore off the black dress. Another, in a blue shirt, led the assault. As the women fell on the ground, dozens of men jumped on them.
At which point, HT’s Satish Bate spotted a police van and shouted. Senior Inspector Amarjeet Singh rushed in swinging his cane and chased away the mob. He took the victims to the Juhu police station. However, no case was registered, Juhu police station in-charge Shivaji Tadlapurkar said.
An identical incident had shamed India’s safest city exactly a year ago — a girl was molested by New Year’s eve revellers at the Gateway of India. That incident was captured on film by a popular Mumbai tabloid; Tuesday morning’s horror was shot by two Hindustan Times lensmen who happened to be on the spot.
The women — one in a black dress, the other in a jeans and top — emerged from the JW Marriott with two male friends around 1.45 am, and began walking towards Juhu beach close by.
A mob of about 40 got after them and began teasing the women. One of the women swore loudly at the hooligans.
But the mob, now 70-80 strong, wouldn’t let go. They trapped the women near a vehicle and a tree, and pounced on them. A man in a white shirt tore off the black dress. Another, in a blue shirt, led the assault. As the women fell on the ground, dozens of men jumped on them.
At which point, HT’s Satish Bate spotted a police van and shouted. Senior Inspector Amarjeet Singh rushed in swinging his cane and chased away the mob. He took the victims to the Juhu police station. However, no case was registered, Juhu police station in-charge Shivaji Tadlapurkar said.
A mob of 70-80 men groped and molested two young for some 15 minutes on a busy main street in Mumbai’s glamour district Juhu ...the mob, now 70-80 strong..trapped the near a vehicle and a tree, and pounced on them. A in a white shirt tore off the black dress. blue shirt, led the assault. As the fell on the ground, dozens of jumped on them.
A mob of 70-80 men groped and molested two young women for some 15 minutes on a busy main street in Mumbai’s glamour district Juhu ...the mob, now 70-80 strong..trapped the near a vehicle and a tree, and pounced on them. A in a white shirt tore off the black dress. blue shirt, led the assault. As the women fell on the ground, dozens of men jumped on them.
A mob of 70-80 men groped and molested two young women for some 15 minutes on a busy main street in Mumbai’s glamour district. shamed India’s safest city
A mob of 70-80 groped and molested two young women for some 15 minutes go. They trapped the women near a vehicle and a tree, and pounced on them. A man in a white shirt tore off the black dress.on a busy main street in Mumbai’s glamour district Juhu early on New Year’s Day.But the mob, now 70-80 strong, wouldn’t let Another, in a blue shirt, led the assault. As the women fell on the ground, dozens of men jumped on them.
A mob of 70-80 men groped and molested two young women for some 15 minutes on a busy main street in Mumbai’s glamour district Juhu early on New Year’s Day. 70-80 , wouldn’t let go.trapped the near a vehicle and a tree, and pounced on them. in a white shirt tore off the black dress, blue shirt, led the assault. As the fell on the ground, dozens of jumped on them.
A mob of 70-80 men groped and molested two young women for some 15 minutes on a busy main street in Mumbai’s glamour district Juhu early on New Year’s Day.
A mob of 70-80 men groped and molested two young women for some 15 minutes on a busy main street in Mumbai’s glamour district Juhu early on New Year’s Day. shamed India’s safest city
14 days later .... 'how are you?'
Are you shocked enough ? For how long? Have you already moved on? Does this mean more rules for new year's eve? What is a mob? Who is a mob? Are you stirred enough? Do you expect it? Was this 'bound to happen'? Are you angry? Are you scared? Are you more anxious? What would you like to do? What would you like all of us to do? Tell us. How are you?
Do share with us, your thoughts and reactions about the Mumbai molestation/ street sexual violation episode and we will add you in the list below.
Here's what they said:
15 comments:
my response: http://www.anniezaidi.com/2008/01/pledge-in-new-year.html
There is a recent discussion on this topic at SepiaMutiny... http://www.sepiamutiny.com/sepia/archives/004964.html
Isaac.
All perpetrators were given bail. Why isn't this a non-bailable offence?
Thanks Isaac. will link it!
http://www.india-seminar.com/2001/505/505%20pratiksha%20baxi.htm
Another response by a friend who was anguished at the turn taken in the case:
http://bemusedthoughts.wordpress.com/2008/01/16/mobs-and-molestation/
Cases of ‘molestation’ are reported more often these days than it was before. But, these are the cases of urban, educated, middle class women who can demand the attention of the media and not some Dalit woman in the villages of Maharashtra or Utttar Pradesh. A few months back two North Eastern girls from Indraprastha College for Women were ‘molested’ in Delhi Metro by some youths who came to Delhi for an exam that would make them eligible to be police constables. The case came to light only because the two girls took the trouble to approach the police and file a report. And a real ‘trouble’ it was for them to get the incident reported because the police officer was absolutely uncooperative. I was present at the dharna that was held at the Vivekananda statute in the Arts Faculty building of Delhi University. It was a congregation of a large number of students and teachers from various colleges and departments of the university. The students, both boys and girls seemed to be infuriated by the incident and were present with a real desire to make a change.
Such awareness is a welcome move in a society where rape is not violence but revenge, stripping is not robbing one of her dignity but punishment. But the problem still lies when a voyeuristic media which shows clippings of such ‘molestation’ and stripping again and again to increase TRP. A few days back the Adivasi unrest in Assam got a national coverage when an Adivasi girl was stripped naked on the roads of Guwahati in the midst of arson. What attracted the attention of the media was not the Adivasi demands or the violence but a naked girl running down the roads to save herself from being ‘molested’ further. Now what is ‘molestation’. The media showing her image again and again is also a kind of molestation, stripping her of whatever remained of her dignity.
Two girls here in Mumbai’s Juhu on New Year’s Eve, two girls from Delhi’s Indraprastha College, or an Adivasi woman in the streets of Guwahati are not the only instances of 'molestation'. There are hundreds of them that go unreported, hidden from the national limelight, not to speak of a dharna in protest.
A few months back a nineteen year old girl in Saudi Arabia was punished with ninety whiplashes because she was in the car of a non-relative when she got raped! But we still face a similar kind of treatment when we go to report a case of molestation, “Kaha pe chua aapko?” “Kyo itna kam kapra pehenke ghumte ho.” “Itni raat ko kyo nikle the?”> (Where were you touched? Why do you have to dress skimpily? Why did you go out so late?) And thousands of other such questions that will make you regret that you came to report.
Ultimately what needs to be changed is this kind of attitude. They may appoint hundreds of guards in the beaches, in the metros or in the streets but when those guarding us are themselves perpetrators of crimes like sexual assault you are left with no choice.
My current view is posted here :
http://virtualpoona.blogspot.com/2008/01/same-old-new-year-problems.html
Fred
Hi,
I wrote something here-
http://lifeofatwentysomebody.blogspot.com/2008/01/piece-of-meat.html
Plus there is my personal experience on the same night in a different city- NOIDA.
http://www.desivideos.net/2008/01/03/indias-shame-discussions/
I lived in Delhi for 15 and a half years. I was ashamed of myself everytime such an incident took place. I kept on searching for things that I might have done that suggested an "invitation" for such a perverted behavior. Ofcourse, soon enough I grew matured and realized that it wasn't me.
I came across your website through a fellow blogger. You guys are doing a great job.
I want you to read the comments in that link because it will show the wide array of perspectives men and even women have about how women should dress.
If you think like I do, (of which I am perfectly sure) maybe you guys could work on not just protecting, reporting, or raising awareness...but actually educating men. As I see...everyone girl is told to be careful out on the streets, but rarely any boy is asked to be respectful towards women.
hi ruia. thanks for the link. we are linking it to the blog post. will certainly read the range of comments. thanks!
our biggest problem in this country is that we do not understand the concept of gender sensitivity.women have made huge strides in every aspect of life and are asking for their rightful share in public space. the problem with this is that the men are neither equipped to handle this change nor are they willing to equip themselves. the only solution to such problems is increased awareness, more sensitization and definitely stricter punishments.
the incident shocked me , enraged me and shamed me.
mere economic growth without social and cultural evolution can be disturbing and we(India) are the best examples of this.
Hi!
thanks for stirring it up again.I'd overlooked it and payed the price.
It's hard to respond because theres so much. As always, you don't and it takes its toll on you, especially as an artist.
http://raahi.wordpress.com/2008/01/29/she-swore/
my take on it http://thebratthebeanandbedlam.wordpress.com/2008/01/02/women-groped-in-mumbai/
More info;
The family says her killer, Saurav Singh, 28, had stalked her for several years before first raping her and then shooting her with a pistol early on Saturday.
From http://www.chakra.org/news/newsFeb06_08.html
I've always said there is no way I would let my daughter do what I did - go and live in India on my own as a woman. Not knowing what I know and experiencing what I did. But Lila's parents felt she was safe living with her two brothers. In India a parent has to be with their kid at every second, even if the kid is almost an adult.
Not blaming the parents here, but too many western pilgrims and "devottees" are ignorant of the dangers that await youth there, especially young women.
I fear that some quarters of ISKCON will wax philosophical and chalk this all up to "karma". Yes, that is always there. That does not mean we become lax in fighting injustice. I'm glad to see there is sufficient shock and outrage in the international ISKCON community over this, so maybe some changes indeed can take place in the social/cultural environment of Vrindavan.
If it takes a village to raise a child, it appears it takes a village to kill one as well.
More on Lila, her life, and the tragic incident to be found at this site
http://www.chakra.org/
Just here in our community we are all pondering "why" and what are the fundamental reasons behind the lax approach of the authorities to the harrassment of women there.
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