The increasing incidents of rape, molestation and murder of women in the country have certainly shocked and shaken the collective conscience of the sensitive citizens and posed daunting challenge to the State Governments and the Union Government as to how to curb, control and contain the rising sexual assaults on women.
A veterinary lady doctor of Hyderabad while proceeding home after duty, was raped on the way by four truckers and set ablaze the victim by four rapists. Had the police taken instant action on the FIR submitted by the relatives of the victim, the fate of the victim would have been otherwise. But squabble over territorial jurisdiction delayed action and FIR was registered at 3 o’clock at night. This was really a heart wrenching incident perpetrated by the monsters and barbarians. The callous and apathetic response of the police registering the FIR by family members of the victim delayed the police action. Of course, the four accused have been shot down by the police in an encounter while attempted to escape. The Unnao rape case survivor was set ablaze by the two accused that were granted bail while she was en route to local court to know her case matter and subsequently she succumbed to burn injury at the hospital. The granting of bail to the accused without affording security to the victim is certainly a monumental wrong. A Class-X1 girl was gang raped by six men on her 17th birthday in Tamil Nadu and police arrested all the accused instantly. On December 5, a five- year -old girl was raped by a van driver in Chennai while she was returning home from the school and the driver confessed his guilt and was arrested. In UP, Nasiruddin, a hard core criminal had killed a 30- year -old woman, her husband and killed also a four-month-old boy. The sex maniac Nasiruddin also had a sex with corpse of the woman. Further more, he also raped a ten -year -old girl who survived. During interrogation he admitted his numb shocking crime.
Crime against women is steadily increasing all over the country everyday and it is not possible to narrate even 5 percentages of the incidents of rape and sexual violence in day.
Odisha is not lagging behind in the occurrence of the gruesome tragedy of rape, murder and sexual violence. Viewed from the size and population of the State, the incidents of rape, murder and molestation are astoundingly enormous. The Kunduli gang rape incident was that a girl of IX had been gang -raped at Kunduli when she was returning home. It evoked shock, anger and outrage across the State. It was undisputed fact that girl was gang raped but police failed abysmally to apprehend the rapists suspected of complicity in the notorious crime. Ultimately the girl committed suicide for apprehension of shame. Now the Orissa High Court has constituted SIT to probe case by responsible police officers of Crime Branch. The prime accused and his brother allegedly involved in the sensational gang rape and murder of 19 -old -girl at Pipili in 2011-12 were acquitted by the court for want of evidence since prosecution lawyer could not produce plausible evidence to punish the accused and moreover forensic report produced by the probe agency did not prove the complicity of two brothers in the pathetic and heart wrenching murder. This incident undoubtedly triggered public outcry but the dispensation of justice failed to provide succour to the distressed and depressed family of the victim. The more pathetic, heart rending and shocking instances of gang rape are forth coming. A minor girl while waiting at Nimapara bus stand to proceed to her village Kakatapur, one Jitendra Sethy offered lift in a car convincing the girl as a police personnel and she entered the vehicle and saw three persons in the vehicle. They took the helpless girl to a Government quarter and raped her. The police arrested three accused including the husband of the owner of the Government quarter.
It is not known why the State Government is apathetic about rising of sexual crimes? It is true that the burgeoning sexual crime against women cannot be curbed and contained as the outbreak of these crimes were sudden and surreptitious beyond the capacity of detection by police. But what is pathetic is that police steps are not instant and expeditious after the crimes.
The Government has decided to set up 42 Fast Track Court in the State for expeditious disposal of cases of rapes, murder and sexual crimes. It seems cogently just and reasonable since disposal of these cases may not be longer and the victims and her family may get the justice of the traumatic tragedy. But the rulings of these trial courts /track courts are not final. The accused would certainly move higher courts for defence which may not be conclusive years together. If Parliament may make a law to confine these sexual crimes cases to the level of high courts from which accused cannot move further may benefit the victims and her family. Some sociologists are of the view that the parents should control their young sons not to be involved in evil design.
Rape is a social evil and stigma to our civilised democracy. Our State/nation does not lack right minded laws but the problem is that it lacks right minded implementation. Political will and ardent administrative skill are required to end the social evil. Vice President Venkaiah Naidu while addressing in a convocation emphatically stated referring Unnao and Hyderabad rape and murder incidents that “what has happened in the recent days is really shameful and a challenge to all of us and we must take a vow to see this sort of discrimination and atrocities are stopped forth with”. It is time our honourable Chief Minister considering the burgeoning instances of sexual crimes in the State must sincerely, seriously and thoughtfully formulate a policy which would effectively curb and control the rising rape and murder.
(The writer is a columnist, who lives in Nilakantheswar Marg, Baramunda, Bhubaneswar)
