A fast-track court’s quick and stringent sentence for the rapists of an IT professional seems to have instilled confidence among IT employees in Cyberabad who hailed the verdict.
The incident, which occurred in October last year, sent shock waves across Cyberabad as the victim was an software employee, and the incident occurred in the heart of the IT corridor. The two offenders, a cab driver and his friend, were awarded 20 years of rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs.1,000 by a local L.B. Nagar court on Wednesday.
“We are satisfied with the verdict. The judgement was fast, and possible only because it was heard in a fast-track court. We have been demanding the establishment of such fast-track courts ever since the Nirbaya incident happened in Delhi,” said A. Ashish, a core member of Forum for IT Professionals.
Stating that a good public transport system would deter such incidents, Vijay Chandra, another member of the organisation felt IT employees needed to strive in unison to improve infrastructure in the region.
Secretary of the Society for Cyberabad Security Council V. Srinivas Prasad said that the offenders deserved the sentence.
“It was a deliberate and an inhuman act. I appeal to social organisations not to seek pardon or decrease the sentence on any grounds,” he said.
There have been significant changes in Cyberabad aimed at improving women’s security after the incident.
“Policing in the area has increased. Previously, public transport buses would ply 20 trips a day. This has now increased to 300. We have also included five new routes. The total occupancy in public transport buses has gone up and now stands at 60 per cent,” Mr. Prasad said.
However, some also felt the offenders should be awarded capital punishment.
“The accused should be awarded death penalty and not just 20 years of imprisonment as it would send out a strong message to the people. Nobody would dare commit such barbaric crimes in the future,” said Bhagya Lakshmi Vakiti, general secretary of Telangana IT Association’s women’s wing.
