It is a profound tragedy that on a night celebrating the victory of light, a little girl was dragged into such terrifying darkness ('Narkasur on Mapusa street; A girl child’s safety compromised', November 10, 2026). The fact that this horror unfolded inside an abandoned building in a busy market exposes a devastating failure of basic civic oversight. We cannot claim to be a safe society when our public spaces are left as open traps for predators. Offering hollow statements of regret is an insult to the victim and her family. The administration must stop treating abandoned structures as mere eyesores. They must be demolished or secured immediately. Furthermore, the police must proactively patrol vulnerable neighbourhoods rather than waiting for a horrific crime to occur before launching a belated crackdown. True security for our children requires constant vigilance, strict accountability, and an unwavering commitment to justice.
K CHIDANAND KUMAR, Bengaluru
