Why I Threw a Man’s iPhone in the Garbage Dump

Harassment on Delhi streets is rampant and nobody seems to care.

An employee of The Quint was photographed without consent by strange men. Here’s what she did. (The image has been altered by The Quint)

After work, at around 4:30 pm on Monday’s cold winter evening, I decided to stop by at GK’s posh M-Block market, Delhi, to grab a bite before heading home. The evening seemed perfect for a warm serving of Brown Sugar’s pasta in white sauce. Surprisingly, I reached GK from Noida in 20 minutes and without much delay, I placed my order.

I rested my heavy bag on a wobbly table outside their kitchen and waited patiently. I was fidgeting with my phone when I observed a group of well-dressed men cackling their way into the outlet.

Ignore, I thought to myself.

I heard my name at the counter and went excitedly to collect my pasta. Upon returning to my table, I saw that the same men had occupied it. I requested them to move to another table, they obliged, but I knew that they had something up their sleeve.

“...yaar teri girlfriend ko bol woh yahan aa jaye”, “...yaar, tune mujhe woh photo toh bheji hi nahi, hot thi woh bohot.”, I overheard.

After finishing my food, I sensed a phone pointing at me from their table. It was mounted on the table in a way that only the lens would show. I looked closely for a few minutes, before losing my cool. A lanky sardar was behind the phone. I went on their table and demanded an explanation. I was furious.

I snatched his phone from his hand and commanded him to delete it. He, of course, denied doing anything wrong, and his friends meanwhile, continued to jeer. He smirked. Just then, I heard another camera go “click”.

Onlookers, on the other hand, crowded in, waited, heard, gossiped and slipped away.

I held on to his iPhone 6s.

I said: At least unlock your phone and show me the first two photos in your gallery and prove your innocence.

He: No, there is nothing in my phone.

Friends: Still giggling.

A usual day at M-Block market. (Photo: Facebook/M Block Market)

I quickly scanned the space, threw his phone in the garbage dump and stormed out. I kept walking till I was out of the market, took an auto and headed home. I was furious, yet scared. What if the same incident had happened at night? Would I have taken the same steps?

I felt violated. My privacy was invaded, my peace was destroyed and what for? For a photograph of a girl eating her food? Eating food alone isn’t an anomaly, is it?

I was disappointed. I felt vulnerable as no one around came forward to help. I understood the hypocrisy of our society. Their participation, I realised, was merely restricted to candle light vigils. Other than that, we live in a society of creeps and peeping toms.