THE HORROR IN DOWNTOWN ‪#‎DARJEELING‬: Two Young Women Fend Off Assailants, While People Look On

Aadarshika, a class 11 student from one of the schools in Darjeeling, and her cousin Priyansa a college student here in Darjeeling, faced a kind of horror yesterday, which we mostly relate with bigger cities. Four men, followed them around, indulged in eve teasing of the vilest kind, and when the girls protested, those men had the audacity to hit them in a public place, in public view.

All of this happened in the heart of Darjeeling town, and what is MOST SHOCKING is that all the people who were present at that time, in that place, watched the “drama” unfold instead of interfering to save the girls from their assailants.

Aadarshika shared with us what had happened, and we are sharing what she told us in her own words, with minor edits.

“Darjeeling 27th July 2016, at around 4:08PM me and my cousin sister were just shopping in Big Bazaar… there were these four men who were loitering around and were following us… as we exited the building and went to the usual recharge spot to get our phone recharged, these four men came there as well and they eve teased us, and on top of that passed some very lewd and awful comments…

Tired, of their harassment, I told my sister loudly (so that they would hear what I thought of them) "a bunch of characterless people"…

This is all I had said, and then they started to abuse us with even more disgusting galee “Ra** ko Chori…. Mak*****ni” and what not…

So we confronted them and a heated discussion followed, in the course of which a guy named "Avinash" (we know his name as his friends were calling his name) - who was most likely DRUNK, slapped my cousin - and when I barged in to stop that guy, his friend (Nelson) pulled me back and manhandled me.

All of this was happening right in the heart of Darjeeling town, at the famous "Benis aloo line" in front of Zippo and Lotus Restaurant and all of those surrounding stores…. and we know how many people walk on that road on a daily basis… Yet, none of them came forward to intervene, none of them had the courtesy to ask the FOUR MEN why they were assaulting two girls? all of these people happened to be just standing back and "enjoying the show".

But, we fought on and we tried to drag the four of them to the nearest police booth, but they left the scene and there was nothing we could do.

So we went and filed a First Incident Report (FIR) with Sadar Thana.

But we couldn’t digest the fact that four of OUR WON GORKHALI men had assaulted us in the heart of our town. So we then went to the place from where we had recharged our phone and retrieved the number, which had been recharged immediately after we had recharged ours, and called the guy (as we had noticed they were recharging their phone too, before they assaulted us). He picked up the call, but denied being in town… we could make out he was lying. He said he didn't come to town and tried to lie his way out, and then his mother spoke and she said, “he is not the kind of guy who gets into fights and brawls… he's sick and ailing.”

But as we persisted, she went on an offensive and said “if you really want to fight, get a car and come... I'll give you the address and phone number”… we were shocked that in trying to defend her son, she was challenging us to a fight… we just kept on saying, “but Aunty we know he was there…” And that is when she said, “I know some of his friends... Nelson… do you know Nelson?” and then she hung up.

So we went online and checked on Facebook , and lo and behold we found the guy called Nelson. I remember his face, as it was him who had manhandled me when I tried to protect by cousin sister, and had also threatened me, saying that 'you will not be able to do anything about this incident because I am a service man.'

When we were being assaulted, I had thought, ‘how convenient it is for him to say so, that just because you happen to be in an authoritative position, your crimes will never be reported’…. but now when I think about it, it was actually very stupid of him to let us know he was in the army, for that is how we found him on Facebook [try searching for Nelson Indian Army in Facebook and see what pops up].

But what was most hurtful for us, is to see our society – the "Great Gorkha Society" – happened to not just watch us being assaulted, but were also passing snide comments about how wrong it is for girls to fight for themselves, when they didn't know what actually took place.

If our society is as great as everyone claims it to be, why didn't anyone stand up when two girls were getting assaulted in a public place, which also happens to be in the "Heart of Darjeeling," and all of the people present there and the store owners just happened to be enjoying the show?

I question the people of Darjeeling, it happened to us today... what if it had happened to your sisters, daughters, friends, or YOU? Would you just stand on the sidelines and watch it all take place and talk about it, pointing out how wrong the girls always are? Pinpointing on the character of the girls?

If the GORKHA BLOOD runs in the males of the society, IT RUNS IN US TOO.

I would request everyone who goes through this to please speak up, and speak out… because the more YOU remain quiet, the more morons and frustrated perverts like these four will feel empowered to assault women – anywhere, anytime.”

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TheDC editorial note: To say the least, we are SHOCKED beyond belief that something like this could happen in our beloved town… that MEN would have the audacity to not just eve tease but also assault women when they were confronted with... What is MOST SHOCKING is that OUR PEOPLE would prefer to watch the “tamasha” instead of INTERFERING…. while two girls were being assaulted by the FOUR MEN...

SHAME ON ALL THE SHOPKEEPERS ON BENI'S LINE and all those who were present yesterday… You all should feel ASHAMED OF YOURSELVES…. no matter who was at fault, YOU all should have intervened...

If You are ONE OF THE FOUR men who was involved yesterday, we’d advice you all to head to Sadar Police Station and Surrender immediately. Surrender and let the law take its course…

If any of you are friends with these FOUR MEN who were involved yesterday, please advice them to SURRENDER at the Darjeeling Sadar Police Station at the earliest, and NO, ARMY DOES NOT PROTECT THOSE WHO ASSAULT WOMEN… THEY COURT MARTIAL SUCH SOLDIERS.

[File pic for representative purpose only]

Via: TheDC