'People stopped to watch, but no one helped Mumbai bravehearts'

While Mumbai's bravehearts fought against sexual harrassment, taxis, buses and by-standers stopped to watch, but no one dared to help. Priyanka Fernandes, Keenan's girlfriend speaks to HT. ‘I feared my shop could be ransacked or looted’ |‘Not cowards, we did what we could’| Pressure for justice mounts | What happened that night | ‘Case will be tried through a fast-track court’

“It was not a special day. We visit the Amboli Bar and Kitchen almost every week, and that day too, we had gone there for dinner and to watch a cricket match."

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“It was 10.30pm when we stepped out of the restaurant, and went to the paan shop outside for a meetha paan.”

“A man [Jitendra Rana], who was standing there with his friends, began passing lewd comments, which angered my friend Avinash Solanki. Solanki confronted the man, but he still continued to pass comments. This irked Reuben and Keenan, who abused Rana and slapped him. The man left the spot shouting, “Maar dunga sabko (I will kill you all)”. We did not take the threat seriously and we stood there chatting, when Rana returned with around 20 men.”

"Rana stabbed Keenan. We kept shouting for help. There were over 50 people watching the scene, but nobody bothered to help. The men kept hitting Keenan and Ruebe

n, who were bleeding profusely. Even BEST buses on the road stopped. People in taxis stopped to see the action, but no one came forward. I called the police control room, but my call was on wait for 20 minutes."

Priyanka Fernades, Keenan's girlfriend recounts the incident.

“We were regulars at the diner and the staff knew us well. We asked them to stop an autorickshaw for us. But only one of them came to our rescue. Keenan and I were planning to get married a few years later. I was in a state of shock for the first few days, but then I gained strength. I will keep fighting to ensure that such an incident does not occur in this city. I will not let Keenan and Rueben's lives go in vain.”

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