3 min readMumbaiJun 15, 2023 04:26 PM IST
First published on: Jun 7, 2023 at 11:23 PM IST
“Whenever I went to drop my daughter at the hostel, Om Prakash Kanojia always assured me that he will take care of her,” said the 53-year-old father of a girl who was allegedly raped and murdered by the watchman of a hostel in South Mumbai.
“Who knew what was in his mind as I had started trusting him,” he added.
Kanojia allegedly jumped in front of a running train after allegedly raping and strangulating the 18-year-old girl inside her hostel’s room.
Speaking with The Indian Express, the girl’s brother said that she came to Mumbai in April 2021 after scoring 87 per cent in her SSC examinations. “She had opted for a three-year course in a Bandra college and was staying in the same hostel ever since she came to Mumbai,” he adds.
Her exams got over on Monday and she was to leave for her hometown in Akola on Thursday. “She had made her train reservation and I was waiting to see her on Friday,” said her brother, adding, “But the incident took place on the same day when her exams got over.”
Her father added that whenever he came to Mumbai to drop her at the hostel, Kanojia would always greet her and take him into confidence. “He would always say that he would take care of her and would arrange for whatever she needed,” the father said. “But who knew that this was the intention behind it.”
The brother said that the girl always wanted to ensure that their parents don’t face any financial difficulty at their old age. “She was very ambitious and would always tell me that she wants to study hard and ensure that our parents do not face any financial problems,” he said.
The family members added that hours before the incident, the 18-year-old had again complained about the watchman’s misbehaviour. “Earlier also she had complained that the watchman would go to her room and purposely talk to her, switch off the lights, etc., but we were told that they have complained to the warden about his behaviour… so we assumed things may have improved,” her brother said.
“When she complained again on Monday, we thought that it was her last day there as she was planning to move to our relative’s place before leaving for Akola on Thursday. So my father just advised her to stay inside and keep her room locked,” he added.
Demanding suspension of the warden and superintendent of the hostel, the girl’s father said, “We demand strict action against the hostel authorities because they should have ensured that she was not staying alone on the fourth floor of the hostel… the warden and the superintendent should have acted on her complaint.”
Outside the hostel where the girl stayed in South Mumbai on Wednesday. Ganesh Shirsekar 
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