AGRA — Women experience casual sexism on Indian roads all the time. Most prefer to remain quiet fearing retribution. But one angry woman from Agra decided she's had enough when the gunner of a Samajwadi Party minister winked at her.
The woman, identified as 23-year-old Sadhvi Pandey, was on her way to a doctor's appointment on a scooty with her sister when she stopped at a traffic signal alongside the cavalcade of one Abhinav Sharma whose car had the SP flag on its bonnet, according to reports. One of Sharma's gunners allegedly winked at her from inside the car which upset Pandey.
(17.5.15): Meet 23-year-old Sadhvi Pandey, the lady who stood up to an eve-teaser in Agra. pic.twitter.com/KFqG2wBcGE
— ANI (@ANI_news) May 19, 2015
When her sister tried to take a photograph of the offending guard, the other men in the car rushed out and broke the phone. Pandey then got off her scooty, smashed the windshield of the minister's car, tore off the party flag on the bonnet and climbed on top of the Mercedes to protest the incident.
PTI reported that the incident took place on Sunday evening and Pandey who was by then having a full-fledged meltdown allegedly also tore off Sharma's gold chain when he came out of the car.
Agra: Girls stood up against eve-teasing; smashed SP leader’s Mercedes
WATCH: http://t.co/7130JqO1mDpic.twitter.com/97gSr4TYYq
— ABP News (@abpnewstv) May 19, 2015
The woman complained against the guard, I removed him from duty the same day: Abhinav Sharma pic.twitter.com/xwrt7ZobyC
— ANI (@ANI_news) May 19, 2015
Dressed in pink salwar kameez and her head covered with a dupatta, the woman stood defiantly on the roof of the minister's car as a huge crowd gathered at the spot, reported NDTV.
But Samajwadi Party leader Naresh Aggarwal chose to distance himself from the incident and said that Sharma was not a leader of SP. "This is a fashion in Uttar Pradesh, people generally carry the flag of the ruling party," he told PTI.
The guard has been fired, said Sharma.
NDTV quoted the young woman as saying: "If lawmakers will indulge in these acts, what will the public do? We stopped the car to tell them of the gunner's action but instead of reprimanding him, they broke my sister's phone."
I want police to take strict action against one who is at fault: Abhinav Sharma (SP Leader whose car was smashed) pic.twitter.com/06e6Tto6ws
— ANI (@ANI_news) May 19, 2015
We respect women, but law shouldnt be taken in ones own hands: Abhinav Sharma (SP Leader whose car was smashed during Agra incident)
— ANI (@ANI_news) May 19, 2015
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