New Delhi: New Year's eve, drunk party-goers and a gathering of 1,500 people at the Gateway of India to watch the fireworks ushering in 2007. In the midst of all the revelry, a woman is molested by nearly 70 men, her clothes torn apart. Her male friend is pushed to the side, the helpless woman's screams drowned by the noise of the crowd.
No one notices - and if anyone does, no one does anything about it. A Mumbai daily's lensman, who is covering the party from a temporary police watchtower captures the grisly incident on his camera. He says the incident has shaken his faith in the city that he has lived in all his life.
And most of the readers of IBNLive agree with the Mid-Day photographer.
Says a reader, Subu, "This is outrageous! Be it Mumbai or anywhere in India, with all the information which is available the culprits should be brought to book and paraded in public."
Subu says that women should try and avoid places where trouble can be expected, especially when anyone is under the influence of alcohol. "Better sense should have prevailed. However, it is certainly a shame to a city like Mumbai. What were the public doing?" he questions.
Nisha Jayadas agrees and adds, "This is shocking, disgusting and shameful. In a huge crowd of 1,500 people, how come nobody turned up to the rescue of that girl? Why did the others just choose to be silent spectators to this disgraceful act?"
Adds another reader, Rajalakshmi, "This is nothing new. It's there in the psyche to commit such a thing. It doesn't matter what type of clothes you wear and even if a girl is wearing a saree or a salwar, the response is the same. The city is irrelevant. Wherever there is an unruly mob, such a thing is bound to happen. I really don't understand what people gain by abusing women in a crowd like this."
She says that just because a reporter happened to catch everything on his camera, the incident came out in the open. However, there are many incidents like these that go unnoticed.
Rajalakshmi says that blaming police alone is not the solution. It's also about the responsibility and basic discipline one needs to have in oneself. "Such incidents arise out of the misplaced definitions of fun, enjoyment, values, culture etc.," says she.
Says another reader, Ajay Sonalkar, "The problem with our society is that it thrives on hypocrisy. We are not mature enough to understand how to respect women. These sort of incidents will happen regardless of what women are wearing. The clothes people wear is not the problem, the problem is the mentality of the people."
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And, others like Priyadarshini blame the police for not providing adequate security at places where large gatherings are expected.
Says she, "It's very shameful and that too happening at the Gateway of India. There is no security for women. There should have been sufficient police security in such a place especially when there was a large a gathering. If any terrorist attack had happened on that day, what would have happened? Would the police have then too said that they were not aware of the incident?
Adds Manoj Gupta, "It's hell out there. This reminds me of the case when lakhs of people gathered for selection in police department in Ghaziabad and created havoc there."
"The Government," he says, "instead of focusing on reforms should focus on improving the mentality of the people. The youth too should come up against such atrocities, keeping in mind that something like this could happen to our loved ones too."
Adds another reader, Abhijit, "It is surprising that the photographer did his duty from the police watch tower, while the police did not. On spot action could have been taken by the police if they were as keen on their job as the photographer was."
Says Arun, "Why should the police wait for the woman to lodge a complaint. They should simply take action based on the pictures. It is simply disgraceful."
And then there are other readers who are simply seething at the disgraceful behaviour of the men.
"What license does it give the crowd to disgrace a lady like that? For those who think the lady’s dress was provocative, I have a question - 'When a man's flesh doesn't invite such atrocities then why should a woman be questioned for such things?' Even when you are fully clothed, are you not vulnerable to such disgrace?" questions another reader named Sowmia.
Adds Kiran Kumar Patel, "This is utterly disgusting and inhuman. Where was the police - keeping in mind the fact that a lady was killed brutally at the same place some time ago by a psychopath, there has been a bomb explosion at Gateway of India, and now this. Gateway Of India has suddenly become a dangerous place especially for girls."
Patel says that the incident should not be allowed to die down, but that the people should voice their anger publicly against this outrageous behaviour.
Another reader, Abhay, agrees and adds, "The couple involved should have the courage to go to the police so that culprits can be put behind bars and such a crime is not be repeated. Even if the couple do not report the matter, the police should take action in public interest."
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