Navlakhi Gang Rape: Our Vadodara interviews the first person to meet the victim

“Uncle… please let me call my parents, those people will kill me”, wailed the minor who was spotted by the 55 year old security guard dragging her injured self out of the dark bushes at Navlakhi Ground at 10:43 pm on Thursday, 28^th Nov’19.

The unfortunate incident unfolded in the little city of Vadodara on Thursday night has left many scarred and shocked. In an age where women are growing up to be the leaders of tomorrow, the toxic masculinity and mentality of patriarchal society is still prevalent – women are still unsafe if out late night, regardless of the clothes they wear and the jobs they do.

The unending hunches and thoughts about the frightful gang rape of a 14 year old girl kept growing on our Senior Reporter (Crimes), Chintan Shripali when he decided to visit the eerie Navlakhi Ground on Tuesday evening to try and see where the investigation was leading. In a conversation with the on duty police officers, our reporter asked him if the security guard who spotted the victim first was still around when someone called him from the back and said, “Sir, I am still here, have not left my job.”

In conversation with the security guard-

Reporter: How long have you been working here?
Security Guard: I am working as a night security guard since a month and like every day, I reach the Cricket Ground Gate at 8 pm and sit outside the cabin.

Reporter: How did you come to know about this incident?
Security Guard: That night at around 8:30 pm, I saw many Police vans and bikes. Two policemen, dressed as civilians, came to me and told me that a minor girl had been raped and if I saw anything, I have to call 100 or the two numbers that they gave me.

Reporter: How did you find the victim?
Security Guard: I was sitting on my chair by the cabin when I saw a shadow approaching from under the halogen light. I was alert as it was about a 100 meters away, but when it came closer, I saw a young girl, crying out saying “Uncle, can you let me call my parents? Those people will kill me.”

Reporter: What happened next?
Security Guard: I told the girl to sit on the chair. She was wounded so I offered her water and told her to calm down.

Reporter: When and how did the Police came in?
Security Guard: The girl was harmed, I did not ask her anything and let her calm down. By the time, I called for 100 but there was no reply. Then I called the number that the policemen had given me and the police came in at around 10:43 pm.

Reporter: What did the Police do then?
Security Guard: Two Policemen came on the bike who were followed by a car from which another policeman came (ACP Crime D S Chauhan), after which another police car came from which a lady police officer got of and took the girl under her care.

Reporter: What happened then?
Security Guard: Policemen kept pouring in at the spot after that, of which one looked like a senior office (Police Commissioner Anupamsinh Gehlot) who looked around the area and asked me the same questions you did.