While most bystanders fail to intervene, Mithibai student, 21, holds on to accused from Parle station bridge with help of senior citizen
The incident took place on the skywalk near Vile Parle station. File pic
A 21-year-old college student showed incredible courage when a man flashed her on the skywalk near the Vile Parle station. The incident took place in broad daylight , while she was returning home from Mithibai College. “I dragged him by his hair down to the road, and called the cops. None of the passers-by helped despite my plea, except a senior citizen,” she told mid-day.
As the man flashed her, the woman charged towards him, dragged him down the bridge and caught hold of his collar to keep him from fleeing. She held on to his collar till the police arrived and ensured that the pervert was behind the bars. All this while the crowd that had gathered stood by as spectators, not bothering to offer her help, barring a senior citizen who approached her as she waited for the police.
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In broad daylight
The incident took place around 10 am on Monday, said the woman, a resident of Santacruz West and a final-year student at Mithibai College in Vile Parle. A similar incident had happened with her on Vakola bridge at Santacruz East in June last year. She had managed to catch the accused, but he assaulted her and fled, she said. Singh filed a police complaint, but no arrest has been made till date.
Police said the accused, identified as Santosh Shankar Maingale from Gazdhar Bandh at Santacruz West, is a drug addict. Representation pic
Dragged him by hair
She said, “I travel daily via train from Santacruz to Vile Parle for college. On Monday, I went to the college to write an exam. Around 10 am, on my way back home, on the skywalk near Vile Parle station, a man gestured at me. I turned back and he opened his zip and exposed his genitals. I was shocked. He then tried to come closer to me. Furious, I started beating him on the skywalk itself. I slapped him multiple times and then dragged him by his hair down. I asked people gathered around for help, but not a single one of them came forward.”
“I somehow managed to drag him down the road and called the police. About 10 minutes later, a senior citizen came and asked what had happened. After I told him everything, he helped me to ensure the accused didn’t flee. When the police arrived, I went with them and filed a complaint,” she added. The accused has been identified as Santosh Shankar Maingale, a resident of Bharat Rahivashi Sangh at Gazdhar Bandh at Santacruz West. Police said he is a drug addict.
Speaking with mid-day, Senior Inspector Dyaneshwar Ganore of Santacruz police station said, “We have registered the case and arrested the accused for molesting the woman on Vile Parle skywalk. The accused was produced in the court on Tuesday and sent to judicial custody for 14 days. The brave survivor caught him and handed him over to us.”
The past incident
“This is the second such incident that has happened to me. Last time, in June, I was going to classes at Vakola and was on the skywalk when a man flashed me. I tried to catch him but he assaulted me, but I still managed to get him off the bridge, to the road. I asked people for help, but no one did. Later, the accused fled and I filed a complaint. As he was wearing a mask, he couldn’t be identified,” the woman said. She added, “After that, I was in shock for a month. My mental health took a toll. I didn’t get proper sleep and couldn’t concentrate on my studies.”
‘Must teach them a lesson’
“It’s too bad for women. These lechers dare to commit such crimes in public places, in broad daylight, because people stand as mute spectators, not caring to help the victim. Every girl/woman should come forward and teach these lechers a lesson so that they would never harass or molest a woman again,” she said.
10 am
Time when the incident happened on Monday
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