'My daughter was shaken. I held her for the longest time'

Deepak Tijori's wife Shivani recalls the horror of her child's abduction

It's an experience no parent should undergo. Deepak and Shivani Tijori shudder when think of the day Malad resident Pritesh Doshi (26) kidnapped their 13-year-old daughter Samara. Samara was forcibly pulled into an auto rickshaw at Lokhandwala market by the assailant at 4 pm on May 10 and taken to a lodge in Malad. She returned home at 8 pm.

Pritesh was arrested on May 19 when he kidnapped another schoolgirl from Charkop and raped her in a Madh Island lodge. For the first time, since the abduction of her daughter, Shivani pours her heart out to MiD DAY and hopes the accused does not walk scot-free.

This is her story

On that fateful day, when my daughter came back shaken, I held her for the longest time. I had to give her sleeping pills in the night because she could not sleep. As if the trauma she underwent was not enough, there were 50 different newspapers writing anything they wanted. My daughter was a victim at the hands of the man and the media. The media should learn to be sensitive about issues related to children. My husband Deepak was repeatedly misquoted.

After his arrest, Pritesh Doshi's mother has been quoted as saying that the two girls liked him and willingly went with him. All I want to tell her is that she should realise that at the end of the day, she is also a mother. She should not only feel for her child, but also think about what her son has done to innocent, young children.

There are two 15-year-old girls who told me that Pritesh tried to do the same thing to them at Lokhandwala, but they haven't approached the cops as yet. Since they came to me, I will use them as my witnesses.

Speak out

There must be many parents who are dealing with such issues and perverts, but are afraid to come out in the open and help their children. If they do not find support from their parents, the children won't be able to help themselves either. I don't want Pritesh to get bail. If he has 26 cases against him, how can they let him walk free? If he is out on bail, the next time he'll kill his victim to destroy any evidence against him.

Strong support

The police and Samara's school were very supportive throughout the ordeal. Her principal called me and asked if I needed help. Samara's friends also stood by us through this. The incident has shocked the school and parents don't allow their children to travel to school in a rickshaw anymore.

Flashback
Deepak Tijori's daughter Samara (13) went missing on the afternoon of May 10 and failed to return her mother's calls. She returned home at 8 pm the same day. Samara was pulled into an auto rickshaw by Pritesh Doshi (26) at Lokhandwala market and taken to a lodge in Malad. On May 19, he kidnapped a schoolgirl from Charkop and raped her at a lodge in Madh Island.