Mumbai photojournalist gang-rape: Shakti Mill survivor’s mother deposes in tears

Her statement revealed that the victim had answered her mother’s phone call twice during the incident, and was forced by the accused to pretend that everything was all right.

Weeping continuously, the 22-year-old photojournalist’s mother deposed before the sessions court for two hours on Tuesday, the second day of the gang-rape trial.

The survivor is likely to depose on Thursday.

After three panch (independent) witnesses made their statements to the court on Monday, two other witnesses — the survivor’s mother and her boss made their depositions on Tuesday.

The proceedings were held ‘in-camera’ on Tuesday, on the request of the witnesses.

The survivor’s mother kept to the statement she had given before the crime branch during the investigation, in which she had said that it had been her birthday and that she and her daughter had planned to go out for dinner.

In the statement, it was revealed that the girl had answered her mother’s phone call twice during the incident, and was forced by the accused to pretend that everything was all right.

She had also said that the 22-year-old was inconsolable and crying in pain when she met her for the first time a few hours after the incident at Jaslok hospital, where she was treated.

Special public prosecutor Ujwal Nikam said both witnesses supported the prosecu tion’s case and narrated the series of events connected to the incident before the court on Tuesday.