If you come across a young girl with a suppurating infection on her leg roaming haplessly on the street, what would you do?
Would you spare a moment of concern and contemplate what could be done? Or walk away?
What these two men from Noida did in a similar situation will not just restore your faith in humanity but also reiterate the fact that many times guardian angels are complete strangers.
18-year-old Chintu had been delivering a can of water in Noida’s Mamura village last month when he happened to notice a young girl lying on the street near the house he was providing water.
Her state had been so deplorable that the boy couldn’t stop himself from speaking to her, in an attempt to gather some details.
It was then a harrowing account was revealed. As was eventually uncovered, the 16-year-old had moved to Noida with her mother from Varanasi almost a decade ago, following her father’s demise. A minor, her name cannot be revealed.
Nearly a year ago, her mother’s health also began to fail, leading her to seek help from her neighbour – a man named Suraj. The man had lent her ₹20,000 for her mother’s treatment.
Sadly, her mother passed away soon after. Suraj also revealed his real colours. He started blackmailing the girl and forced her to move in with him. The girl was not only physically and sexually abused, but also raped by a drunk Suraj and his friends on multiple occasions.
It was not long before she discovered that she was pregnant.
When she mustered up the courage to stand up to him, Suraj threw her out of his house and fled, leaving the pregnant girl to fend for herself.
It was a few hours after Suraj left that Chintu had come across the girl. After hearing her story, he felt morally obligated to help her out.
Without sparing a second thought, he took her to his two-room dwelling at Bahlolpur village in Sector 65, which he shared with his elder brother Pintu. Within six hours, the duo managed to get a room for the girl in the same building and even paid the rent for it. Together, they became her caregivers and tended to all her needs and requirements for the next 20 days.
They took her to the hospital soon after, and it was then that they discovered that she was seven months pregnant.
The girl wished to get an abortion. Pintu, who works as a driver in Sector 121, reached out to his company owner for advice. The brothers were directed to Smita Pandey, who runs the non-profit organisation Holistic Well Being Services in the city.
“When Chintu and Pintu brought the girl to us, she seemed to have wholly snapped out of reality, devoid of expressions or even emotions. I counselled her personally and told her that at this point, an abortion would be risky. We also convinced her to file an application at the local police station and with additional push on all levels, managed to lodge an FIR last Friday.
Fortunately, the cops managed to nab Suraj within a day and booked him under IPC Section 376 and Section 3 and 4 of POCSO Act,” says Smita, speaking to The Better India.
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Currently undergoing medical treatment for her leg at the government hospital under Smita’s initiative, the young girl’s fate will be decided by the courts as and when the case proceeds—whether she should be rehabilitated in a shelter or go back to Varanasi.
“The accused’s family reached and tried reasoning with her for a compromise. But we know for sure that after being released, Suraj could harm or even kill her, like he had threatened her previously. So, we have counselled her extensively to not give in to fake promises and fight for justice. She has nothing to fear; we are all here for her,” says Smita.
At present, Smita is overseeing the girl’s medical treatment and is also trying to get her an Aadhaar and PAN, which would help her access basic facilities and subsidies by the government.
“We are hopeful that these should materialise positively after Diwali,” she concludes.
Kudos to the brothers who came to the minor girl’s rescue, when all hope seemed to have extinguished for the latter. Also, a special mention to Smita and her foundation, who continue to help the young girl fight against the injustice inflicted upon her.
If you wish to help the minor girl with any form of assistance—be it shelter or medical aid, you can reach out to Smita at 9810406958.
We’ll be updating further information, once her Aadhaar and PAN details are available.
(Edited by Vinayak Hegde)
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