A woman was raped last month behind the Vellore fort. There is a road at the back there with a gate which allows access to the fort grounds. It is hardly ever opened. The area has been notorious for miscreants, drug dealers, pimps and drunkards for the last 50 years. No one goes there after dark.
This lady and her boyfriend went there at night, were attacked by a juvenile( what are juveniles coming to these days?), a lorry driver and cleaner. While he ran away to find "help" she was attacked and raped. She survived, identified her attackers and they are in jail. The paramour seems to have disappeared.
This was the hot topic of conversation everywhere. As usual, "girls are not safe." Any excuse to cut short their education and their chance for a better independent life. "They should stay at home after puberty."
My Silambam class starts at 4:30 in the morning on the terrace. As I was waving my sword around, the master shouted "stop! I hear something."
Once I stopped concentrating on the sword hitting me, I heard it too.
"B---rd! " shouted a female voice. This was followed by a female scream.
Master said, "I keep advising parents to teach their daughters martial arts! No one listens. See what happened in the Vellore fort! Now, where is this noise coming from? Some lady is being attacked. "
The entire road was dark. Only one other house had lights on. I knew the people who lived there. Fortunately, I had their phone number. Icalled.
A sleepy voice picked up.
"Are you okay? I can hear the screams from your house. The light  is on."
"Oh " She said, "I am in Delhi. Can you go and see  what is happening? If you don't mind."
Master has a new weapon, a retractable Nunchaku. He has been dying to try it out. I picked up my swords. We s walked towards the house.
The lights went off as we neared.
This was worrying.
"I will run there, " said master, "you can slowly limp at the back."
As we reached the gate my phone rang.
"I am so sorry, " said the lady," it is nothing."
"Nothing?" I asked. I was beginning to suspect she was being held hostage. (Too many crime serials.)
"It is my son. He and his friends from college are having an all-night party. I will ask them to keep it down."
"It is not the noise bothering me," I said, :" are you sure everything is alright?"
Her dishevelled son opened the door. "Aunty " he said "Its alright."
Baulked of his pray master attacked the hedges and bushes all the way back.