Eve teasing case: After shock, come insults and gossip

Girl for whom Vicchivora fought faces ostracism, plunges into depression

Slain Dombivali youth Santosh Vicchivora's friend, at whom a group of boys allegedly passed lewd remarks on December 4 evening, has become a pariah in Navneet Nagar colony, with people telling their children to stay away from her. Vicchivora had confronted the group of boys, who allegedly stabbed him. He was rushed to a hospital where he was declared dead before admission.

The 19-year-old girl lost her father four years ago and has been working part-time at a private firm in Mumbai to support her mother. She has also been trying to complete her education simultaneously.

"Tongues have started wagging about my daughter over the last few days, and she has gone into depression. She was gearing up for her HSC exams and was confident that she would clear them. However, since the incident, she has become almost suicidal. On Wednesday, she told me that she will not appear for exam this year. She is all I have, and if she commits suicide, I will kill myself as well," the victim's mother told Newsline.

The girl's mother said people had stopped talking to them since the incident. She said their well-wishers in the colony told her about the gossip that has started. People in the colony have apparently told their children to break off ties with the girl and they use insulting words when they refer to her. Some say she was in a relationship with Vicchivora, while others have implied that she knew the accused, and the fight was personal rather than random eve-teasing, the mother said.

"My daughter and I have clarified several times that Santosh was only a casual acquaintance. She has been working and studying diligently for the last four years, and has had no time for relationships. The last thing I want to do is to belittle his sacrifice, but such gossip is affecting my daughter," she added.

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