IT'S BEEN two years that I have been staying in Mumbai all by myself for work purpose. I always boasted in front of all my friends that Mumbai is the safest place to be in for girls. I kept this cool attitude whenever my mom got worked up on knowing that I was out late in the night. I used to tell her 'Maa chill this is not Kolkata...its Mumbai...this city never sleeps and it’s very safe."

The heinous incident which took place few days back where two innocent lives were lost made me change my belief. The 24-year-old Keenan Santos and 28-year-old Reuben Fernandes were normal youngsters like us. They liked hanging around with friends and visiting one of their favourite place-Amboli Restaraunt in suburban Andheri. That fateful day also they were there, everything was normal...They finished their dinner, had paan and went for a stroll on the same lane as usual. Things got ugly when they got into an argument with the main accused Jeetendra Rana after he started harassing and passing lewd comments at Kenan's girlfriend. Like any other protective boyfriend and friend, both Keenan and Fernandes slapped the accused.

Rana retreated only to return with 20 goons brandished with knives and hockey sticks and stabbed Keenan and Reuben in front of a crowd of 50 people who were only mute spectators. Both Keenan and Reuban fought brave heartedly with those goons without any arms or any kind of assistance from others. They were stabbed in public and no one did anything.

The girls saw their friends being killed in front of their eyes...they tried to call 100 for help but the number was engaged constantly and even when they got through, the police wasted time in asking numerous questions in spite of the girls providing them with proper landmarks. If the police is so strong, then what gives anyone the courage to commit such a bastardy crime in front of so many people?

We all have numerous questions in our mind...right? Why did no one come to help them? Why did the police not respond immediately? Why is our judicial system so full of loopholes that that goons like them roam around freely? How many more lives will go in this way? Are girls not safe anywhere? When can we all roam around freely? We don't know the answer to any of these questions?

I wouldn't lie...but I seriously don't know what I would have done if such an incident took place in front of my eyes. I just pray to GOD...that may such a day never come and even if it does...to give me the spine to stand up.

I feel so proud that these young guys stood against those rotten scoundrels. This incident again has raged the youngsters and people are actively voicing their opinion on social networking sites. It's my request to all...please sign the petition. We need more support-http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/zero-tolerance-campaign.html.

Government, it's high time that you stop treating these goons as guests like you have been treating Kasav for these years. I am sure these scoundrels will also get some kind of protection from some political party and will be given a lenient treatment. Just hand them over to the common public and let is decide how what to do with them.