Man gets stabbed for a cellphone
A Newholmes Way resident is lucky to be alive after he was stabbed seven times while jogging in Protea Grounds on Thursday evening.
Over the years, Protea Grounds has become synonymous with incidents of crime where community members, who use the grounds for sporting activities, have been attacked for their valuables.
Pradeep Jawahar (58), who has been using the grounds for 20 years, said he was shocked that the incident took place in a matter of seconds.
It all happened so fast. Normally my wife and I jog together, but she decided to stay in the car and pray. We saw this guy in the grounds, he was looking around and he looked a bit suspicious. There was a young woman in front of me and she had her earphones on and I think she was the [inital] target but she was running.
Jawahar said it was around 6.10 pm when he picked up his phone to call his wife, who was in the car, and ask her to join him for the next lap around the grounds.
“As I was on my phone, I just felt someone grabbing me. I thought it was one of my friends who we jog with. Then this guy started stabbing me.
He stabbed me in my shoulder and hand. I just started screaming. When I screamed, he backed away and started running. People who were in the grounds started chasing after him but he managed to get away,” said Jawahar.
He said he had to act fast to get to the hospital for assistance as he was bleeding profusely from his wounds.
“We had to put pressure on my wounds as I was bleeding a lot. I couldn’t wait for an ambulance; I drove myself to the hospital. I had to get numerous stitches. The doctor said I was very lucky as the attacker had missed a artery. I am just happy to be alive,” said Jawahar.
He said that he will continue to jog at the grounds, but is calling for better maintenance and more visible security and policing of the sports facility.
There are parts of the ground and areas around the ground that have not been maintained, these are used like a cave type of hideout and these criminals are hiding in that area. These hideouts need to be cleaned out so and their needs to be more visible security and policing in the area. There is a guard but he needs to be more visible. I suggest people must be searched for sharp objects before they enter the grounds.
“I have been going to the ground for 20 years and this never happened to me before, but it is a a common occurrence where people are robbed or attacked for their belongings while running. Many of these cases are not even reported.
“Normally, my friends and I run in a big group, but this time we didn’t do that. I will still use the grounds but I will make sure I go in a group.”
Jawahar thanked all the community members for assisting him when he was attacked.
Currently, there is an increase in the number of crimes in the northern areas. Residents’ homes are being invaded and their valuables are being stolen from their yards. Earlier this month, Weekend Witness reported that residents in the northern areas felt like prisoners in their homes, due to the frequent incidents of brazen thievery taking place in the area. Residents have been urged to be vigilant.
Mountain Rise SAPS spokesperson, Warrant Officer Panchael Singh, did not respond to requests for comment by the time of publication.
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