In last seven days, two destitute women were reportedly raped by men who appear to be anti-social elements. In one of the cases, the woman, a rag-picker, was first killed, as she refused his sexual advances, and then the man satiated his desire over the corpse, which shows that it was a case of necrophilia.
The other case was even more sickening, as the Ganji Shiva, the 21-year-old youth in an inebriated condition allegedly raped a destitute woman in public glare on a pavement near Railway New Colony at around 2.30 p.m.
What makes the case even more unique is that none of the passers-by had come to the rescue of the hapless woman, who was so famished of food that she did not even have the strength to resist.
But the question that arises here is –what are the duties of a responsible citizen? Do we stand mute witness to such happenings or protest and rescue such unfortunate women from being targets of such perverted criminals.
Only one auto-rickshaw driver took courage to record the crime and transmit it to the official police WhatsApp and based on which, the police arrested the alleged rapist.
But cases under IPC Section 354 C, which states that any man who watches, or captures the image of a woman engaging in a private act can be booked, and IT Act 67 A, which covers punishment for publishing or transmitting of material containing sexually explicit act, etc., in electronic form, were slapped on him.
While some appreciate the auto driver, others say he should have gathered some more support and rescued the woman.
While the auto driver’s case is one debate that has opened up, the women rights organisation are upset with the general safety of women and role of citizen.
K. Padma of Mahila Chetana said, “I am dismayed at the thought that people just passed by without thinking of doing something. This clearly indicates the in-sensitiveness of the people. The woman may be a destitute, but her status is no bar from rescuing her. In fact, people should come forward for such helpless woman.”
Lakshmi of Progressive Organisation for Women, said “both the cases should be eye-openers both for the police and the people in general. The message is simple, no one is safe and there is no limit to perverted thoughts and desires. Something should be done to cleanse the thoughts, as everything fosters from a thought.”
Sumit Bhattacharjee
