One More Nirbhaya ? A Photojournlaist gangraped by 5 men in Mumbai

[mkrishna100]

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Mumbai photojournalist gangraped by five men, police release sketches of suspects


Mumbai photojournalist gangraped by five men, police release sketches of suspects : West, News - India Today

In a shocking incident reminiscent of the Delhi gangrape , a 22-year-old woman photojournalist interning with a city-based magazine was allegedly gangraped by five men in the Mahalaxmi area of Mumbai late on Thursday evening.

The Mumbai police has detained 20 people for investigation and sketches of suspected five rapists have been released. Also, 18 teams of Mumbai Police and crime branch are on hunt for rapists.


The police said the incident took place around 8pm on Thursday when the victim was on an official assignment in Mahalaxmi.

The victim has been admitted to Jaslok Hospital following which the N.M. Marg police station was notified about the incident by the hospital authorities.

A team of police officers was then dispatched to the hospital to record her statement.


Both the local police and the Mumbai Crime Branch team are investigating the incident.

According to the police, the journalist had gone to the Shakti Mill Compound with a male colleague for a photo shoot. The compound is in a very isolated area and is almost deserted most of the time.

The police said when the victim and her friend reached the mill compound, a group of boys approached them. The perpetrators are suspected to have a taken her inside the compound on the pretext of helping her get permission to take photographs following which they allegedly committed the crime. According to the hospital authorities, the woman is stable but has been traumatised by the incident.


Mumbai has been known to be a relatively safe city for women. However, according to the police, a number of crimes against women have been registered during the past few days. An American was attacked in a local train this week and a nurse, who was going to work early in the morning, was attacked by a man in an attempt to rape her.

This is a similar incident like Delhi gangrape where a 23-year-old medical student was brutally gangraped by six men in a moving bus on December 16. The culprits had attacked the male friend and then raped the woman.


A Delhi court is expected to give its verdict towards the end of the month in the Delhi gangrape case regarding the alleged role of the minor who was involved in the case. Four others accused are in Tihar jail and the sixth accused is dead.

 

[Visalakshi Ramani]

Fear breed caution.
Caution saves lives.
Why do we say badram badram
and never wish be nirbhay ho javo!

 

[Visalakshi Ramani]

What can ONE male colleague/ escort/ friend do
when confronted a sworn group friends/ fiends...
unless he is a hero from a Bollywood / Hollywood movie.

 

[Visalakshi Ramani]

I wish they had managed to take a snap shot of the

self proclaimed goody good Samaritans

before they showed their true colors. hoto:

 

[sravna]

There are to things that can happen that will help in drastically bringing dowm these incidents

1) People becoming morally good
2) Use of punishment that is more than the intensity of this crime so that the fear is strong enough to contain the natural force that makes one commit these crimes.

(1) is a very remote possibility, at least cannot be accomplished in the short term but (2) is doable.

If neither happens , I think the crimes will continue to happen

 

[auh]

What can courts do when the society is heading towards anarchy?

 

[prasad1]

What can courts do when the society is heading towards anarchy?

Sadly, you are right.

 

[renuka]

There are to things that can happen that will help in drastically bringing dowm these incidents

1) People becoming morally good
2) Use of punishment that is more than the intensity of this crime so that the fear is strong enough to contain the natural force that makes one commit these crimes.

(1) is a very remote possibility, at least cannot be accomplished in the short term but (2) is doable.

If neither happens , I think the crimes will continue to happen

Dear Sravna,

You should take a look at our newspapers here where I stay.

In India its about rape but for us here all of a sudden there seems to be hired killers shooting people at point blank range almost daily!

All of a sudden this is happening..God knows what is going on?

 

[Visalakshi Ramani]

I am sure it happens here too..
though the mode of killing is different.
Here the thugs prefer hacking with an aRivaaL...
the cheap weapon of an aam aadhmi.

 

[sravna]

Dear Sravna,

You should take a look at our newspapers here where I stay.

In India its about rape but for us here all of a sudden there seems to be hired killers shooting people at point blank range almost daily!

All of a sudden this is happening..God knows what is going on?

Dear Renuka,

Very sad Looks like kali yuga is peaking So as a hope things can only get better from now

 

[biswa]

It is not just about punishment, it is also about prevalent culture. Of course punishment may be required to change the culture.

I have read a theory that rising planetary temperatures are leading to global stress and anarchy. Look at even tb.com

 

[SANDHYAV]

Sub cultural theory is just one......

quoted:

[h=4]Subcultural theory[edit source | editbeta][/h]Main article: subcultural theory
Following on from the Chicago school and Strain Theory, and also drawing on Edwin Sutherland's idea of differential association, subcultural theorists focused on small cultural groups fragmenting away from the mainstream to form their own values and meanings about life.
Albert K. Cohen tied anomie theory with Freud's reaction formation idea, suggesting that delinquency among lower class youths is a reaction against the social norms of the middle class.[SUP][18][/SUP] Some youth, especially from poorer areas where opportunities are scarce, might adopt social norms specific to those places which may include "toughness" and disrespect for authority. Criminal acts may result when youths conform to norms of the deviant subculture.[SUP][19][/SUP]
Richard Cloward and Lloyd Ohlin suggested that delinquency can result from differential opportunity for lower class youth.[SUP][20][/SUP] Such youths may be tempted to take up criminal activities, choosing an illegitimate path that provides them more lucrative economic benefits than conventional, over legal options such as minimum wage-paying jobs available to them.[SUP][20][/SUP]
British subcultural theorists focused more heavily on the issue of class, where some criminal activities were seen as 'imaginary solutions' to the problem of belonging to a subordinate class. A further study by the Chicago school looked at gangs and the influence of the interaction of gang leaders under the observation of adults.
Sociologists such as Raymond D. Gastil, have explored the impact of a Southern culture of honor on violent crime rates.[SUP][21][/SUP]

Criminology - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[tbs]

டெல்லி நிர்பயா .. அடுத்து மும்பை பத்திரிகையாளர் .. இடையில் ஏராளமான விநோதினிகள் ... வித்யாக்கள் ... பெண்களுக்கு மரியாதை, பெண் மேல் இறக்கம் , மனிதாபிமானம் ஒன்றும் கிடையாது . ஆனால் தாய்நாடு , தாய்மொழி மட்டும் நல்லா பேசுவோம் நம் நாட்டில் . ஒவ்வொரு இந்தியனும் வெட்கப்பட வேண்டிய தருணங்கள் இவை..

 

[P.J.]

Lack of women's safety is a Global Problem:


The thoughts I want to share are as a woman, who is from India but has travelled a bit of Asia, and knows what RoseChasm, twoseat andAishu88 from CNN ireport are talking about. However, what I would like to point out is that over-sexed men who grope and stare, jerk off or touch you are not restricted to India.

I have been propositioned by strangers passing me in a car, in supermarkets, even on my way to work almost every day in Oman.

I’ve been in a cab in KL where the cab driver started jerking off mid-day, in the best part of the city on the way to one of the hippest malls there, while asking me if my husband and I use a condom while having sex.

I’m not spilling my private thoughts here to incite hate. It is my hope that one can see the global cancer that is corrupting every known culture – and India is not unique in its position as a women molesting country.

As an Indian, I would say the following to my younger sister, and I would say the following to any traveller coming into my country.

1. Don’t be stupid.

Don’t go into public places which are packed and narrow. People are bound to brush against you – they may not intend to, but personal space is not something you can expect while you are in elbowing your way through buzzling markets.

2. Don’t stay in shady hotels/ or visit questionable bars.

Sleazy places are the same world over. Don’t cheap out and expect safety. It’s the same anywhere – Rio, Durban, Bangkok, New York, Mumbai, Amsterdam.

3. Please be modest.

What you see in Bollywood movies with the song and dance is a communal thing. Indians don’t dance in public – on the streets, in the parks or on the roads. Forget that it’s not sane, it’s not safe. Be culturally aware - Rio is not the same as Valencia, nor is Amsterdam the same as Cairo. If one gets too friendly during a local festival, expect them to get friendly back – and don’t be surprised if it isn’t just the women folk and innocent kids.

4. Don’t be out late.

Have a personal curfew. Always have a good exit plan to get back to your safety zone – could be your home, your hostel, your friend’s pad. As unexciting as it sounds, my personal curfew is 8:30pm. If I want to drink myself silly post that you will find me in my safe zone with people I absolutely truly trust.

5. Stay alert and watchful.

I have been groped as an adolescent in ‘safe’ public spots with and without my parents around. There are some really sick men and women out there: everywhere in the world. It’s best to exercise utmost caution and stay off the trouble grid. If you want to experience local tastes and flavours and ways of life, please stick to your known circle: classmates, professors, friends, friends of friends. The odd ones who don’t keep caution, sometimes do end up in very risky life threatening situations.

6. Selective media reporting.

Valencia’s tomatina is becoming a festering ground for sexual violence against women. The 1999 Woodstock festival was marred by reports of rape and sexual assaults. Incidents of violence and abuse during the London Olympics went under-reported. Media networks world over know how to cover their bases when certain news is bad for business.

The media holding a magnifying glass to isolated incidents, in developing countries, is acting as a trigger for more copy-cat offenders, and those who want to see if they can ‘get away with it’ too.

Then again, I’ve had colleagues from more developed countries than my own, tell me that their cops discourage them from reporting crimes; as a way for them to under-report crime in the country and hence portray it as a traveller’s paradise.

7. Progress is not equal.

As world boundaries collapse and economies boom, there will always be ones who are left behind. For them, whether they are in Mumbai, New York, London, Nairobi or Capetown, women’s emancipation and liberation are unfathomable concepts. So when they see a woman having a good time in public, it shakes up their foundations. Try explaining to these men that when a woman dresses the way she wants to or drinks what she likes in public, it is not an invitation to violate her.

Finally.

If you have the means and the inclination, travel.

It opens your mind up to the world around you and helps you see things from different points of view. All I can tell RoseChasm and others like her who have been scarred during their travels is to learn from their experiences so that their lives and that of those around them can be richer.

Please read the entire writing.

Source:Lack of women?s safety isn?t just an Indian phenomenon; it holds a global passport. - CNN iReport

 

[sarang]

In the BBC TV comedy serial (I think, It ain't half hot, mum) of the eighties, all the soldiers and the captain will go beserk during indian summer.

I have read a theory that rising planetary temperatures are leading to global stress and anarchy. Look at even tb.com

 

[tbs]

hi pj sir,
i went to chennai/delhi/thirupathi recently....just came from from yesterday only.....what i saw in india....its not possible as u said....

even in thirupathi temple....women not spared....many women has to go through physical harassment inside temple....NO

PERSONAL SPACE IN INDIA.....


1. Don’t be stupid.

Don’t go into public places which are packed and narrow. People are bound to brush against you – they may not intend to,

but personal space is not something you can expect while you are in elbowing your way through buzzling markets.



may be possible in america...NOT IN INDIA ANYMORE....

 

[P.J.]

hi pj sir,
i went to chennai/delhi/thirupathi recently....just came from from yesterday only.....what i saw in india....its not possible as u said....

even in thirupathi temple....women not spared....many women has to go through physical harassment inside temple....NO

PERSONAL SPACE IN INDIA.....


1. Don’t be stupid.

Don’t go into public places which are packed and narrow. People are bound to brush against you – they may not intend to,

but personal space is not something you can expect while you are in elbowing your way through buzzling markets.



may be possible in america...NOT IN INDIA ANYMORE....

Tbs Sir

These are suggested by a CNN writer, please go through it, as i liked these i posted it here.

 

[sarang]

Reposted for emphasis: Hope message penetrates some thick skulls.

Who will answer these questions?

1. The ten acre mill area is in a dilapidated condition, with wild vegitation and is frequented by drug addicts and gamblers. The police knew that.
2. Even the people having business, shops in the lane leading to the mill area do not venture inside; some have never crossed the gate in the last fifteen years/
3. Why should anyone, let alone the photo journalist, enter the mill area in the sunset hour, the cloudy weather contributing to gloom and darkness. Definitely this place is not CST or taj hotel (people in these places too took a grave hit).
4. If the assignment is important, then perhaps a bigger team should have gone.
5. After the delhi incident, there were many recommendations - to download and install ice apps in mobiles (location will be sent to the police or a friend) or personal safety devices like pepper spray or siren.
6. There are pockets even in newyork or london which are unsafe for both men and women (mugging) at ungodly hours. I have faced a frightening time in newyork.
7. The media company the girl worked for, is just about hundred metres away; the bosses must have known the reputation of the mill land and warned the reporters.

The world outside has plus and minus points; we must prepare ourselves for handling both.

 

[sarang]

One of the Mumbai culprits has confessed that they have done this several times in the past. It is quite possible that prosecution may get diverted as four of five arrested are minoriites and perhaps have connection with bangla desh. Let us wait for quick judgement.

 

[renuka]

Reposted for emphasis: Hope message penetrates some thick skulls.

Who will answer these questions?

1. The ten acre mill area is in a dilapidated condition, with wild vegitation and is frequented by drug addicts and gamblers. The police knew that.
2. Even the people having business, shops in the lane leading to the mill area do not venture inside; some have never crossed the gate in the last fifteen years/
3. Why should anyone, let alone the photo journalist, enter the mill area in the sunset hour, the cloudy weather contributing to gloom and darkness. Definitely this place is not CST or taj hotel (people in these places too took a grave hit).
4. If the assignment is important, then perhaps a bigger team should have gone.
5. After the delhi incident, there were many recommendations - to download and install ice apps in mobiles (location will be sent to the police or a friend) or personal safety devices like pepper spray or siren.
6. There are pockets even in newyork or london which are unsafe for both men and women (mugging) at ungodly hours. I have faced a frightening time in newyork.
7. The media company the girl worked for, is just about hundred metres away; the bosses must have known the reputation of the mill land and warned the reporters.

The world outside has plus and minus points; we must prepare ourselves for handling both.

Dear Sarang Ji,

Yes you have brought up valid points..why only 2 of them were sent?

I feel they should have sent a group of men instead of a woman and a man.

You are right personal safety is important..that is why I never do house calls even for patients well known to me.

 

[vgane]

2 of the culprits are minors...What sort of Juvenile laws we have in our country...They should quickly remove the archaic laws and lower the age for Juvenile to 16 years from current 18 years

 

[sangom]

I was working in Mumbai till 1992 and our contract bus (to & from office) used to pass through the road near this Sakthi Mills, on some occasions. Even in those days it was a well-known secret (!) that this Mill and its compounds were permanent "addas" of many anti-social elements and that all kinds of anti-social and unlawful/criminal activities were being carried on there, especially after nightfall. It is now more than twenty years since those days and the condition could have only worsened, not improved, because just like most parts of the country, the criminal mafia of Mumbai are all too powerful, even for the government or the police. One more aspect to be noted is that these mafias also provide a large number of Mumbai residents with a source of livelihood; one example is the drug sales network which spreads invisibly throughout Brihanmumbai. Perhaps we may consider it as the gentlemanliness of these dangerous people, that they seldom trouble other innocent citizens unless they poke their nose into the areas of the mafias' works etc.

This having been the situation for more than two decades and what is more, well-known also in Mumbai, this lady photojournalist was probably deceived (by her employer/s) to undertake this job with just one male companion, who also was probably unaware of the true position.

While I fully empathize with that girl, I cannot but say that she should have collected more info. about her assignment and weighing its pros & cons, before deciding to accept it.

 

[கால பைரவன்]

This having been the situation for more than two decades and what is more, well-known also in Mumbai, this lady photojournalist was probably deceived (by her employer/s) to undertake this job with just one male companion, who also was probably unaware of the true position..

If what you say is what actually happened, then it is very sad indeed. Even though the employer/s cannot be tried for the crime, they must certainly be asked on what basis they decided to send such a light crew to a known dangerous area.

While I fully empathize with that girl, I cannot but say that she should have collected more info. about her assignment and weighing its pros & cons, before deciding to accept it.

The girl and the boy who accompanied her might have no reason to suspect the employer's deception. I could not gather info about the girl's domicile but it is possible that she is not from the Mumbai area at all.

 

[sangom]

Given below are the comments alongside photos of the Shakti Mills compound in
Inside Mumbai's Shakti Mills compound & its 'unseen zones' - Inside Mumbai's Shakti Mills compound & its 'unseen zones' | The Economic Times

Surrounded by Mumbai's high-rise buildings and posh localities, Mumbai's now abandoned Shakti Mills represents its dark underbelly which is yet to catch-up with the pace of maximum city.

The abandoned mill land in the Worli-Parel area seems like a contiguous stretch of tall grass and beautiful ruinsto an outsider. But it is divided into 'unseen zones'.

There are safe clearings where children play cricket and restricted enclosures that are a preserve of anti-social elements. Only locals know where the boundaries lie.

We give you gilmpses of the horror mills inside images. Have a look:

Journalists and police personnel typically venture into unfamiliar terrain, armed with the confidence that their professional status has them covered.

In Pic: A couple walk through overgrown grass as they enter the Shakti Mills area, where a female photographer was gang-raped overnight, in Mumbai on August 23, 2013. Five men gang-raped a woman photographer in Mumbai. Police said on August 23, stirring memories of a similar incident eight months ago in New Delhi which triggered nationwide protests.

Not a wise move, say residents and shop keepers of Parel.

Mill land spans 15-20 acres
24 Aug, 2013

In Pic: Abandoned Shakti Mill premises near mahalaxmi in Mumbai seen on August 23, 2013 where female photojournalist brutally raped on August 22.

A railway worker from the area says, "Outsiders come with a singular disadvantage. The mill land spans 15-20 acres and people are unaware of the maze of entry and exit routes."

Businessman Prashant Shah, who runs The Flag Shop in the Shakti Mills lane, said, "The road leads to a dead end so traffic flow is weak. The area is so deserted that when my shop caught fire in 2001 nobody came to help assuming it was some production activity in a distant workshop. At dusk, a quiet stillness descends across the mill radius of 1.5 km."

Some years back, the alleged rape of an elderly woman by the son of a textile magnate is believed to have occurred in his Shriram Mills compound in Worli.

The businessman was acquitted of the charge.

Shriram Mills has been demolished to make way for Palais Royale, likely to emerge as the tallest building is Mumbai.

"We would never venture there when the mill was closed. Now the site is more secure. Even workers may enter only after displaying their identity cards at the gate," says Raunak, who runs a giftshop nearby.

Other mill compounds in South Mumbai have acquired a dubious status. Visitors' entry to the high-profile Mukesh Mills in Colaba is regulated.

"Minor thefts have been reported and the place has gained a reputation for being haunted, like many mill properties. Films and television serials with India's top stars would shoot there regularly," says Hitesh Chauhan who ran a store in the lane.

Beyond millcompounds, there are expansive heritage structures that do not appear welcoming after dusk.

Bandra resident Shyamli Sen, whose dog fell sick, chose to not travel to the Parel animal hospital at night despite her vet's recommendation as "the grounds are vast with several dilapidated structures and the approach route is not comforting either".