Nearly two weeks after the incident of DJ Varnika Kundu being chased by suspects in Chandigarh alarmed the nation, a media professional from Mumbai had a similar encounter on Andheri Link Road
The bikers who were chasing Asira
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Whether the city is safe for women is largely debatable, but a chilling incident last night proved that women's security is still top on the agenda of the Mumbai Police. Nearly two weeks after the incident of DJ Varnika Kundu being chased by suspects in a Tata Safari in Chandigarh alarmed the nation, a media professional from Mumbai had a similar encounter on Andheri Link Road in the wee hours of this morning.
However, timely help from the Mumbai Police enabled the girl to reach home safely.
The incident took place around 1 am, when Asira Tarannum, 25, was travelling back home in an autorickshaw from Andheri. Just before Tarannum got into an auto at City Mall in Andheri, she noticed two men follow her in a scooter.
Asira Tarannum
The men continued to follow the auto, and even passed lewd comments. Scared, Tarannum asked the auto driver to take another road, instead of the isolated stretch near the Andheri RTO. "I had planned to call my friend for help. But, before that I thought of taking a photo of the two and tweeted it to the Mumbai police," she said.
Fearing further trouble, an anxious Tarannum then dialed the police helpline 100. The Mumbai Police immediately responded to her call. A woman constable came on the line and asked her details about her exact location so that the police could reach her.
"Once I told her which route I was on, the constable asked me to head towards Juhu, where a few policemen had been stationed. In no time, we spotted a few policemen ahead. By then, the stalkers had fled from the spot," she recalled.
Tarannum's tweet thanking the Mumbai Police
Tarannum managed to reach home safely. Later in the night, she received another call from the police to check on her. "The manner in which the events unfolded last night only increased my faith in the police," she said.
Tarannum also tweeted to the Mumbai Police congratulating them for their prompt response.
Dr Rashmi Karandikar, spokesperson, Mumbai Police, said that Kanchan Gatkhane from the police control room assisted Tarannum through the incident. "Another official called her again to check if she had reached home safely. She appreciated our efforts," Karandikar said.