Mumbai local shocker: Man masturbates in front of woman, Railway helpline laughs it off

In yet another shameful incident, a woman recounted how a man masturbated in her presence in a Mumbai local train. A 22-year-old woman revealed that a man sitting in the next compartment touched himself while look at the travellers of the ladies’ compartment. The woman said that the incident occurred on June 15 but she opened up about it on Thursday.

The woman wrote on Facebook: "I'm looking at my phone and I see him waving at the girl through the railing. He's put his hands through and has reached half the distance to the girl's face. I cannot hear him, I'm wearing headphones. I reduce the music, out of curiosity and also to see whether she needs help, I do not turn. Looking down at my phone, I hear him calling her m******d. I heard it at least six times in the 30 seconds I listened. I looked at him, our eyes met and I looked down again (sic)."

She added: "Meanwhile, he puts his hand down, whips out his penis and grins at me, he starts masturbating. For those who know me also know that I have seen this too many times. Maybe that prepared me to do what I tried next. I was rational, calm."

She further wrote:  "When Kandivli came, the man got out of the compartment and started walking towards the doors of the ladies compartment. Six women who could easily take him down, started yelling. I stood up and walked towards the door. He told me he would rape me. I told him to do it. (I only did so because I knew he wouldn't and because the time permitted me, so did the space.) (sic)"

What followed was even more shocking as her complaint was laughed off by the Railway helpline. She further wrote: “I told the person on the line all the details. The train was just approaching Kandivli. Which compartment, what time. All of it. Then I told him that this person had also called us what he did. And then the person on the helpline laughed. He found it funny. I asked him whether they'd pick this person up at Kandivli. He cut the call (sic)."

As the post went viral, the Western Railway took cognisance of the matter and Deputy Commissioner of Police Purushottam Karad promised to follow up. He was quoted saying by the Times of India: “We have to check which helpline the woman commuter made the call to. There are two helpline numbers — one is railway police and the other is Railway Protection Force (RPF). We will talk to the woman.”

Read the full text below:

Mass-Train-Bait/ Masturbate

Mumbai

Train from Borivali to Dadar

3.38 pm that was delayed. Picture taken at 4.09 pm

I'm sitting in the train, going back home after meeting friends who live in Borivali. I'm in the ladies compartment, there are about 6 other women. I'm sitting on the side that can see the handicapped section of the train, but with railings in between. On my left, there is another girl. We both are listening to music. In the handicapped section is a man. I'm looking at my phone and I see him waving at the girl through the railing. He's put his hands through and has reached half the distance to the girl's face. I cannot hear him, I'm wearing headphones.

I reduce the music, out of curiosity and also to see whether she needs help, I do not turn. Looking down at my phone, I hear him calling her madarchod. I heard it atleast 6 times in the 30 seconds I listened. I looked at him, our eyes met and I looked down again.

There are many mentally challenged people who travel on the train regularly and I'm used to many of them cursing, so I thought him to be one of them and let it go.

The split second where our eyes locked, he took the chance to come to me. He came to my side of the compartment and put his hands through just like he had done before.

He called me the same, another 6-10 times.

I looked up, and just kept looking at him for 20 seconds. Thinking of what I should do.

Meanwhile, he puts his hand down, whips out his penis and grins at me, he starts masturbating. For those who know me also know that I have seen this too many times. Maybe that prepared me to do what I tried next. I was rational, calm.

And I asked the other women to tell me the police helpline and also yelled that this man was showing me his privates.

They gave me the helpline. I had just run out of credit in the morning, so the girl he was waving at first gave me the phone. I called up the helpline.

The next paragraph is a summary of that conversation:

I told the person on the line all the details. The train was just approaching Kandivli. Which compartment, what time. All of it.

Then I told him that this person had also called us what he did. And then the person on the helpline laughed. He found it funny.

I asked him whether they'd pick this person up at Kandivli.

He cut the call.

I'm not sure what happened. When Kandivli came, the man got out of the compartment and started walking towards the doors of the ladies compartment. 6 women who could easily take him down, started yelling. I stood up and walked towards the door. He told me he would rape me. I told him to do it. (I only did so because I knew he wouldn't and because the time permitted me , so did the space.)

Learnings :

1. Our helplines. Do they really help? Or is equality for women just a trend for marketing and PR?

2. Rape is supposed to scare me. Stop being scared by it. Stop making it a big deal. Somewhere there, it will stop.

Don't take me wrong.

Rape IS a big deal. But physically, mentally for the pain it causes. not because the honor of this society lies in my vagina. Not because I will be SCARED by the prospect because my life will be ruined.

I once even called a suicide helpline that didn't pick up. The irony.