My friend wanted to live: Awindra Pandey, Delhi gang-rape victim’s friend

[mullu]

New Delhi: Awindra Pandey, the male friend of the Delhi gang-rape victim - the only witness in the case, on Friday spoke for the first time and exclusively told Zee News that her friend was positive and wanted to live even after the horrific incident on the night of December 16.

Speaking to Zee News Editor Sudhir Choudhary, Awindra explained in detail what happened on the fateful night of December 16.


He said no one came to their help after they were thrown off the bus by the six accused. Even after the police arrived, it took them over two hours to take them to hospital.

Awindra said since December 16, protests have been happening and people are on the streets. “Many things have come out in the media, but people have been interpreting it differently. I want to tell them what we faced on that night. I want to tell what I faced, what my friend faced,” he told Zee News, expressing hope that others could take lesson and save others’ lives in future.

Awindra said the six accused had lured them into boarding the bus on the night of December 16.

“The occupants of the bus which had tinted windows and curtains had trapped us. They were probably involved in crimes before also. They beat us up, hit us with iron rod, snatched our clothes and belongings and they threw us off the bus on a deserted stretch.

“From where we boarded bus, they moved around for nearly two and a half hours. We were shouting, trying to make people hear us. But they switched off the lights. We tried to resist them. Even my friend fought with them, she tried to save me. She tried to dial police control room number 100, but the accused snatched the mobile,” Awindra said.


“After throwing us off the bus, they tried to mow us down but I save my friend by pulling her away in the nick of time. We were without clothes. We tried to stop people passing by. Several auto rickshaws, cars and bikes slowed down but no one stopped for about 25 minutes. Then someone on patrolling stopped and called the police,” he told Zee News.

Awindra rued that three PCR vans arrived at the scene after about 45 minutes, but wasted time in deciding under which police station’s jurisdiction the case fell.

[mullu]