The Supreme Court’s verdict has delivered justice to Nirbhaya after inexplicable barbarism perpetrated on her (“SC upholds death for Nirbhaya convicts” (May 6). But it is also time to deliver justice to the cause for which our society rose in one voice after the incident. This is the time to effectively implement various policies such as the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013, Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005, and effect stricter punishment for voyeurism and stalking. There are still countless women in rural India who are unable to report or file complaints against harassment. The low number of women police personnel further aggravates the problem. It is also time to overhaul our way of thinking, where all students are taught to respect women, impart self-defence lessons to girls and augment police patrolling at night with women constables. These small steps will all help in delivering results.
Gagan Pratap Singh,
Noida, Uttar Pradesh
The Bench of the Supreme Court has been right in backing the death sentence especially when the crime committed is brutal, shocking the collective conscience of the society and the nation. Such forms of crime meet the ‘rarest of the rare’ threshold set by the top court. The verdict has not only reaffirmed our faith in the judicial system but also sent a stern message to those who plan and execute heinous crimes.
K.R. Srinvasan,
Secunderabad
Child rape, gang rape, the abduction and killing children for ransom, terrorist and militant acts leading to the deaths of many also shock the conscience of public in equal measure. The perpetrators also deserve severe punishment and such cases must be fast-tracked. These cases also fall under the rarest of rare cases, warranting the consideration of capital punishment. Will the top court issue guidelines on these as well?
S.V. Venkatakrishnan,
Bengaluru
