I am okay, says her battered friend
“Yes, I am okay,” says 28-year-old friend of the physiotherapist in the lawns of a city court in front of his father and two relatives when asked about his physical condition. Then he turns away.
The gang rape victim’s male friend went to court to tell his version of the whole incident before a judge.
Clad in a blue tracksuit and donning a cap, dark patches encircling his eyes and several injuries visible on his face, he tries to put up a brave face, but keeps his eyes and head down all the time.
“He is still in trauma and mental agony. He needs some time and space to recover,” says his 55-year-old father, who is an advocate in Gorakhpur in UP.
As he moves towards his car, his uncle Deepak Tiwari says, “Please leave him alone for now. He is not well.”
His mother is not fully aware of the incident, and she only knows that her son had met with an accident, says the father.
“We have not told her yet. We are waiting for doctors to discharge him after he gets well. After that we will straightaway go to Gorakhpur. Everyone is waiting there,” says the father.
He got a call from police on Sunday night, saying his son had met with an accident, following which he immediately drove to Delhi.
The 28-year-old, who is the eldest among his two siblings, completed engineering from Meerut.
For the last three years, he has been preparing for the civil service.
Will he return to Delhi?
On whether the engineering graduate would be sent back to Delhi to complete preparations for the civil service, the father says, “Let’s see. But for now he will go to his hometown. He is recuperating physically, but is still in shock. Let him heal first and come out of the trauma.”
The civil service aspirant showed a lot of courage and pinned down three accused, but fell semi-unconscious after being overpowered by all six men who hit him with an iron rod from behind.
“He fought bravely and tried to save the girl, but was overpowered by six persons. He did his best,” said police commissioner Neeraj Kumar.
After leaving the court, the family headed towards their relative’s place.
“He will have to visit Tihar Jail on Thursday for identification test of one of the accused, Mukesh Singh, who pleaded for it before court,” says the father.
