Mumbai to tone down celebrations after news of rape victim’s death

Till Friday, 20-year-old Fiona D’souza was upbeat about a house party she was to attend on January 1 to bring in the New Year with her friends.

Till Friday, 20-year-old Fiona D’souza was upbeat about a house party she was to attend on January 1 to bring in the New Year with her friends. But on Saturday, after she heard the news about the death of the 23-year-old Delhi gang-rape victim, D’souza was too upset to even think about celebrating.

“I am really depressed after the news as I have been praying for her recovery,” said D’souza, an Andheri resident. “I will not be able to forget the episode and I am in no mood to celebrate any time soon.”

Just as the city was gearing up for New Year celebrations, the news of the death has upset Mumbaiites, some of whom have decided to call off their New Year plans.

A group of young women in Andheri have cancelled their plans as a form of protest against the incident. “Five of my friends and I had planned to attend a New Year’s Eve party at an Andheri hotel, but we decided to call it off, to protest against what happened to the victim and the general state of affairs in a country where no girl feels safe anymore,” said Mona Nair, 19, an Andheri resident.

“But we now feel such a celebration doesn’t suit the mood of the country,” he said, adding that the group including seven other guys collectively took the call.