Young woman fights off attackers with trishul on New Year's Day

A QUICK-THINKING Clare Estate woman, who “put faith in Goddess Kali” when she grabbed a trishul from her prayer room and fought off a gang of men attacking her family on New Year’s Day, is calling for increased police patrols in the area.

Celebrations turned into bloodshed for the Gounden family, who were stabbed and attacked with boulders and bricks, and robbed by a gang of unruly, drunken men.

The group allegedly refused to stop drinking and behaved inappropriately outside their property.

Kajol Gounden, 46, said she and her fiance Vinod Gunpath, 46, her two daughters - Mika, 20, and Krishalya, 15 - and her neighbour’s son, were attacked and sustained various serious injuries.

She said her nine year old daughter was inside the house and escaped unharmed.

“Vinod and I left my three daughters at home at around 2pm on New Year’s Day to drop off food at his mother’s house. Our neighbour was visiting at the time. 

“Minutes after we left home, I got a frantic call from Mika. She said our dog Skyler had run to the gate as there was a group of men consuming alcohol outside our property. She said the men were drunk and they were threatening to kill Skyler. They exposed their genitals as they swore at my daughters and neighbour when they went to see what was going on.

"When we left home, the road was quiet. We did not expect what happened next. Within seven minutes, we were back home. As we entered our driveway, the men jammed the gate so we could not close it. They started swearing at us and we asked them to please leave, as it was New Year’s Day and we did not want any trouble. We also told them that they should go and drink somewhere else. They became violent and threw a boulder at me. The boulder struck me in my chest,” she recalled.

Gounden said the men then started throwing bricks at her and her fiance. She said when her daughters tried to assist her and Gunpath, they too were attacked. 

“I was bleeding from my head and hands. I had my car keys in my hand, and they tried to grab it. They also tried to pull off my gold bangles from my hands. I was punched in the face, and stabbed in my hand. Vinod was bleeding and he had critical injuries. My neighbour's son, who is 20 years old, was also hit multiple times in his face." 

While struggling to fight off five men who were hitting her and taking off her jewellery, Gounden said about six men had grabbed Krishalya, and dragged her out of the yard.

She said she watched in horror as her daughter’s clothes were ripped off her body.

“They ripped off her T-shirt, and her bra came off as she was being dragged on the ground. I feared that my daughter would be dragged out onto the road and kidnapped or worse. 

“Then I saw Mika come running with the trishul (a brass Hindu trident). She grabbed the trishul, which we use mainly during firewalking, and she kept lunging at the men to ward them off. I was stabbed in my hand as I tried to pull my daughter back while she was being dragged. She has extensive injuries and bruises on her body and face.

“We managed to escape and I tried calling the police. Our neighbours, who tried to ward off the crowd of men, had also been stabbed and injured.

“The police never answered, so I called Vincent Chetty from the Clare Estate Action Committee (CEAC), who I knew would be able to get help quickly as he was instrumental in crime fighting efforts in the community. As the security companies arrived, the men dispersed and despite the efforts of the security officers, they were not found." 

Mika described the incident as traumatic and said it was the worst act of violence she had experienced. 

“We tried to calm the men and begged them to leave peacefully, but they kept coming back and attacked us each time we thought they were going to leave.

“They did not want to listen to anyone who tried to reason with them. They were violent and enraged, and seemed to be drunk and under the influence of drugs. They had boulders, bricks, and knives, and I knew I had to arm myself if I wanted to help my family. I realised that the only weapon we had was the trishul, which we kept at the prayer place. I grabbed it, with the lime and syringa berry leaves still on it, and I ran outside.

“I kept lunging at them to drive them out of the yard. I drew my strength from the mother Goddess Kali. One of the men stabbed me in my hand, but I kept trying to fight them off with the trishul, which has been in my family for many generations. 

“Goddess Kali is our protector and the trishul is her weapon. It was very tragic. It was like a war zone. We do not feel safe living here anymore. We are unsure if this was a targeted attack and if someone sent them, or if this was a random attack,” she said.

Two weeks ago, a 78-year-old woman and her 80-year-old sister were attacked and robbed by armed men consuming alcohol outside their home, prompting concerns of a new modus operandi.

Chetty said they were concerned about the attacks.

“The Gounden family had sustained multiple serious injuries. We regret that there were no arrests made, and we appeal for those with information to come forward. Two weeks ago, we had an incident that was similar in nature. Two elderly sisters were attacked in their home in Wandsbeck Road.

“They were sweeping when a group of men consuming alcohol had spotted them. The men forced the women into their home, and tied them up with plastic bags around their necks. They demanded cash and valuables, and they made off with R4 000 in cash and two cellphones.

“Residents are living in fear, as they are being attacked and robbed at their doorsteps in broad daylight. 

Although these are isolated incidents, we noticed a similar modus operandi and we are concerned about this becoming a trend. We will work with the Community Policing Forum and police to eradicate this type of criminal element in our community,” Chetty added.

He said the cases had been reported to the police. 

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