Parents of children who are regulars at Noida’s glitzy malls and multiplexes have been shaken by the gruesome gang-rape of a 22-year-old MBA student in the city on Monday night.
While the national capital region (NCR) is notorious for crime against women, rising incidents of abduction, rape and molestation have heightened people’s fear. Monday’s was the second incident of abduction and rape in Noida, Uttar Pradesh, in 24 hours. On Sunday, too, an 18-year-old girl was abducted from sector 58 and allegedly raped by three yet-unidentified men.
Concerned parents believe Noida, after Delhi, is fast emerging as the “most unsafe” place for women. The fact that the girl was returning home with a friend from the famed Great India Place mall when she was waylaid and raped by 10 youth, instills more fear.
“The situation is scary. Girls cannot move around without the fear of being abducted or raped. This girl (gang-rape victim) was abducted at 7 pm, which isn’t very late. This proves heinous crimes don’t happen late in the night alone. My daughter likes visiting malls for movies and shopping, but now I just can’t allow her to go unless she’s with a group of at least 5-6 friends,” Amita Mathur, a Noida resident, said.
The rapid urbanisation of NCR in the last few years has led to mushrooming of malls, multiplexes, clubs and pubs, all of which are frequented by young, college-going boys and girls. However, as some residents of Noida and Gurgaon pointed out, despite modernisation, the administration hasn’t really checked the growing crime rate.
Several earlier investigations into abductions and other crimes in Noida and Gurgaon have led police to gangs operating from fringe villages. In Monday’s incident too, though the five youngsters arrested didn’t have any criminal record, they all belonged to a hamlet in Noida. Proliferation of guns is another thing that has gone unchecked.
Investigation into Monday’s incident has revealed that the student was raped at gun-point. Noida Police have also recovered three country-made revolvers and two knives from those arrested.
