Garden city or Crime city?

The crime rate in Bangalore is going up day by day. We hear that every day in the news paper/TV/internet. Bangalore once known as garden city now is becoming a crime city. We do hear about some incidents which makes a big noise and some unheard. Here I am with an incident that needs to be highlighted. I am sharing this incident with you all, so that you in turn can create that awareness amongst the others.

This happened on last Wednesday and the victim is one of my cousins who is “V”. He commutes daily from old Airport road to Mysore road. Most of the time “V” uses the company transport, sometimes he uses the public transport system. On last Wednesday, he missed his company vehicle and a colleague offered to drop him till Devegowda petrol pump which is in south Bangalore. He stood in the bus-stand waiting for the bus. Now a days you get to see a lot of company vehicles (Sumos/Indicas/TT/Mazda) picking up the passengers from the bus stop (after their work hours). Though the company policy does not encourage such things, mostly to make those extra bucks they break the rules. One such “TT” stopped near the bus-stop and one fellow just opened the door and was calling out for people. When “V”asked he said, “This vehicle is going to Toyota Kirloskar on Bidadi, we can drop you till Kengeri”. Since “V” was tired waiting for the bus, he decided to board the vehicle. Along with “V” three other passengers boarded the vehicle. He saw there were two other already seated. The guy, who called him, collected the money from everyone and “V” was waiting to get down near his stop. When "V" was just about to get down, the vehicle did not stop at the point and the driver started speeding up the cab. When “V” revolted against the driver, the fellow passenger held a knife against his neck and asked him to keep quiet. “V” was shocked to see that the fellow passengers were actually from the same gang. The vehicle was speeding up and after a while they asked “V” to hand over the valuables. “V” had about 1500 Rs cash, two gold rings, a chain and a bracelet. He handed over to them and requested to let go of him. When they found debit/credit cards in “V’s” wallet, they stopped the vehicle near an ATM. The ATM was too crowded and they did not enter. They made trips to couple of more ATMS and finally found an empty one. They asked “V” to withdraw money and he had no choice other than doing that. He withdrew 45,000 cash and gave it to them. “V” was so helpless. He was alone against six, couldn't think of fighting. The only thing he could do was to request them to let go of him. He told them that he has old parents waiting for him at home. They did not bother, that really didn’t matter to those guys. They had also taken his watch and mobile phones. So “V” had no clue what time was it? They drove the cab for another 30-40 minutes long and he had no clue where they were heading to. Till then he kept pleading them but these guys heart did not melt for “V’s” request. Finally, at one point it was pitch dark outside and one fellow opened the door and pushed “V” outside the cab. “V” fell down on the road and hurt his shoulders. He was happy that he was set free. His happiness didn’t last longer. After two minutes the cab reversed back. One guy got off the cab,gushing towards "V" with a big sharp rod (long) in his hand. He was about to hit “V” then “V” screamed out begging him not to hurt him. He uttered “I have a kid waiting for me at home, please let go of me. You wanted cash,gold, I gave you everything. Please leave me alone".

Listening to this, the driver of the cab told the fellow guy, “He looks innocent, don’t kill him, let go off him”. The fellow guy was not convinced, he said “What if he goes and identifies in the police station”? “V” promised that he wouldn’t go to the police station. The fellow guy got into the cab half-convinced and the vehicle speeded away.

“V” was left in the middle of the road, it was totally dark and he had no clue what to do. He started walking for a while and then he felt something was poking near his neck. When he put his hand to find out, it was a phone SIM card. He recollected ; when the fellow guy pushed him away from the cab. He opened “V’s” phone and pulled the SIM card, he tried to break it and threw outside. That was stuck near "V's" shirt’s collar. Holding the SIM card in the hand “V” continued walking. He does not remember for how long he walked. Finally he found some building with dim lights. He saw a watchman sleeping infront of the gate. He woke him up and requested to lend his phone. He put his SIM card and called his brother-in-law and asked him to come and pick him up.
While waiting for his brother-in-law, he pondered over the entire episode. The only thing he could utter was “Thank god, I am still alive. I could have waited for the bus.The little longer wait for the bus wouldn’t have given me the struggle like this".

Attention: For those of you who look for a quick and an easy drop better be careful. Think twice before you board the cab.