Mumbai: Even as the whole country is burning with rage about the brutal rape and murder of trainee doctor in Kolkata and the sexual assault of two four-year-old kindergarten kids in Badlapur, news about another series of sexual assaults has come to light. Students of Mithibai College, in the sub urban Vile Parle area, have been assaulted by the ‘yellow shirt guy’ for almost 10 years now.
Infamous among the students as the ‘yellow shirt guy’, he has been to jail several times for his acts but that has not yet deterred him.
Modus Operandi
His modus operandi is simple - he walks on the skywalk and the footpath leading towards Vile Parle East station, ‘bumps’ into girls coming from the opposite side and in this lieu, gropes them and touches them inappropriately. He also waits for the roads to get crowded so that people see his act as a ‘mistake’. While his plan may be clever, he attempts to grope and touch the same girls for the second, third and sometimes the fourth time which eventually blows up his cover. Many have also confessed about him flashing his private parts out in the open at girls and sometimes even masturbating right in front of them.
“He stays in jail for up to three months and then he is released,” said a current student from Mithibai College who chose to remain anonymous. “He then continues with what he has been doing for years now because he gets to have food and shelter in jail,” she continued.
Another ex-student from Mithibai College, Sakshi Sonkhiya recounted how she was harassed in the year 2018. “The first time it happened to me, I did not take notice because the street is usually very crowded so I thought he touched my as* by mistake. I ignored it the second time as well but I could see that he was the same man who touched me the first time. But then at around 11 am when the college got over, the same man grabbed my as* for the third time. And the next thing that I saw was even more traumatising for me - the same man had crossed the footpath just opposite the college and it looked like he was masturbating,” she said.
“I don’t know if he was actually masturbating or was just imitating the action because I immediately left from there. I told my friends and we tried complaining but nothing happened because we had no proof,” Sonkhiya added.
She further narrated an incident that happened with a junior college student right in front of her. “I was walking on the same street one night when I heard a scream and when I enquired the girl told me that the same man flashed his private part to her and ran away,” Sonkhiya said, adding that the man was arrested for a bit after the incident but nothing changed even after that.
Habitual Offender
Another ex-student said that the man’s alleged name is Sunil and he is often found wearing yellow. FPJ also issued a 2022 circular warning students to be aware of this man which reads, “Beware of this man. He has been reportedly molesting college students. He can be frequently seen on the skywalk around 6-7 am.”
A similar incident happened with Saloni who studied at Mithibai College from 2010-2015.
“I don't remember the year itself, but I remember walking to the Vile Parle station and thought this guy was walking behind me. I didn't make much of it because many people walked to the station. Then I got into the ladies' compartment, and when I looked out, I saw this guy on the platform touching himself. For a moment, I was confused, and so I stared at him just trying to understand what was happening. The next thing I know, he took out his d**k. I was disgusted, and then the local train started moving,” she said, adding that she never saw him again, but could recollect his face seeing the picture going viral.
FPJ also reached out to the college authorities regarding the matter who said that they have currently deployed security outside the college. “The incidents happen outside the college gates but we have deployed security for the safety of the students. The management has also recently complained to the Police but eventually, the government and the police have to take some action. We have also filed complaints against the man several times before,” the person who wishes not to be quoted said.
“At NMIMS University, the safety and well-being of our students, especially our female students, is of paramount importance. We are deeply committed to ensuring that our campus provides a secure and supportive environment for all," said Dr Meena Chintamaneni, Pro Vice Chancellor of NMIMS University.
Their measure include,"Comprehensive CCTV coverage, stringent access control system, dedicated female counselling resources, active Anti-Sexual Harassment Committee, vigilant Student Council, and close collaboration with the local police station are all measures that reflect our unwavering dedication to creating a safe space for our students to learn and thrive."
"Police have agreed to do patrolling every 2-3 hours in and around all SVKM institutions and hostels, with additional security deployed to take rounds outside the gates of the colleges. Students, faculty, and staff are requested to come forward if they are troubled or are made uncomfortable by any untoward incident. At NMIMS University, we are unwavering in our commitment to upholding our core values of respect and equality. We will continue to work tirelessly to ensure that our female students feel empowered, supported, and confident that their safety is our top priority," added Dr Meena.
