Daylight robbery by 5 machete-wielding men! Even journalists aren't safe in Bengaluru

Bengaluru: We open our newspapers each day to cases of people being mugged or attacked by miscreants. Journalists see this even more, since we write about these victims on a daily basis. It’s easy to forget about them and move on, until it actually happens to you. Little did I know what nightmares Monday had in store for me, leaving me in shock after I was attacked, threatened and robbed by a gang of five men.

At about noon on Monday, I set off to Nayandahalli Railway Station, off Mysuru Road, to cover a story. I wasn’t too sure of the exact location, so I got off the bus at Mysuru Road and walked to the new railway bridge near Hosaguddadahalli, from where the Nayandahalli station signal was visible. As I approached, I met two railway gangmen, whom I stopped to talk to, in the hope of some leads for my story. They asked me to check with other people, saying they had no idea.

I walked along the railway track and because Nayandahalli station was close by and I could see two other gangmen who were on duty, safety didn’t seem to be a concern. Dozens of people were crossing the tracks around me, as there were no trains scheduled for that time. All of a sudden, a young man, who looked about 25, asked me where I was going. I told him what I was looking for, when I noticed a group of four youths, all roughly between the ages of 20 and 25, sitting on the track not more than 50 metres away, awaiting me – their unsuspecting prey.

Still unaware of what was conspiring, I began to make my way across the track. That’s when the five men charged at me, leaving me rooted to the spot in shock. By the time I processed the situation, I saw one of them brandishing a machete, while two others carried heavy wooden sticks. It was a secluded spot, with one side covered in bushes, so there was no chance of me calling for help. The men caught me by the collar and threatened me, demanding that I part with all my valuables. Refusing was not an option –clearly, the consequences were dire – I offered them everything I had.

One grabbed my bag, while another made for my mobile phones. A third man snatched my wallet, while a fourth sat me down forcibly on the track. He told me to stay quiet, or face the consequences. However, what followed was an unexpected bit of luck! The man who was rifling through my wallet, found my business card, which bore the name of my newspaper and my designation as a journalist. Visibly nervous, he returned my wallet with everything intact, except for the small change he found inside it. They conferred hurriedly between themselves in Urdu, wondering what fate awaited them should some harm befall me. The man holding my mobile phones offered to return those, too.

Suddenly, they were struck by the thought that I might call the cops if I had my phone. So they removed the SIM cards and took away the handsets before they fled the spot. Thanking my stars, I got off the track and managed to reach my office, where it took me a good while to recover from the horror.

I'd like to sign off with a simple piece of advice. Don't be lulled into complacency simply because you're out during the day. Think twice before crossing railway tracks at any time – you never know where danger lurks.