Women trap eve-teaser, hand him over to cops

Women residents of Mumbai suburb Bandra West decided to teach a lesson to an eve-teaser who was harassing a 16-year-old student of the locality. Prajakta Chavan reports.

Regional stereotypes have for long put Mumbai as the safest Indian city for women, but the recent killing of two youths while defending their female friends from eve-teasers may have just about shaken that belief of Mumbaikars. Some bravehearts would, however, just not take it lying down.

Women residents of Mumbai suburb Bandra West decided to teach a lesson to an eve-teaser who was harassing a 16-year-old student of the locality.

The incident took place on Monday afternoon when the citizens got a driver arrested.

HT Image

The accused Nitin Karvade, 27, residents point out, was one of the 20-30 drivers employed by two pubs-cum-restaurants at a nearby mall, who stand outside the mall to take valet requests from customers.

For over two weeks, everyday Karvade used to follow the girl from outside her residence to Bandra station on her way to college. One day, when he tried to stop her and allegedly passed lewd remarks, the girl reported the matter to her parents. Her father, in turn, discussed it with neighbours and relatives. A group comprising mostly women then laid a trap and caught Karvade on Monday when he followed the girl.

“After the man was caught, we got him arrested,” said Manuella Saldanah, secretary of the Area Locality Management (ALM), 154.

After the incident, Bandra police station in-charge DS Patil visited the locality and assured the residents of complete safety. Patil told HT, Karvade had spent the night in the lockup and a case had been filed against him.

Following the incident, members of ALM 154 have kicked off a campaign to declare the area as ‘ZERO-tolerant to eve-teasing’.