Nagpur: For young women in Nagpur, a visit to a garden for some quiet time can mean first checking who else is around, whether the area is well-lit and how quickly they can leave if something goes wrong.
Recalling an incident from her school days at Laxmi Nagar, 25-year-old entrepreneur Sai Ashtikar said three men repeatedly flashed torches at her and a friend before following them as they left.
“Even now, you can see people parking their vehicles and sitting there in the evenings,” she said. She said the experience, along with poorly lit parks, eventually made her stop visiting gardens altogether. With the surrounding lanes poorly lit, the two ran for safety. Ashtikar also recalled an unsettling experience at Abhyankar Nagar Garden involving an elderly man who, she alleged, used sweets to lure children and behaved inappropriately with them. The women suggested visible emergency contact numbers, CCTV cameras, adequate lighting, regular police patrolling and guards who actively monitor parks after sunset. They also stressed the importance of bystanders intervening when they witness inappropriate behaviour.