Rapists don't deserve mercy
- The People's Chronicle Editorial :: May 03, 2022 -
A MIDDLE-aged man from Haorang Khunou village in Imphal West district, who was sentenced on Friday to five years of rigorous imprisonment in connection with a sexual assault case must be heaving a great sigh of relief that he wouldn't be facing any extreme form of punishment compared to his beastly act of outraging modesty of the then six-year old girl, an age as same as the perpetrator's granddaughter.
It seems that the quantum of punishment or severity pertaining to a POSCO case is extremely moderate taking into account of the fact that the convicted person also served as watchman of a junior high school, where many other kid students study, the society considers educational institutions as the second home and parents believe that their children are in the safe hands of teaching as well as non-teaching staff members.
Thus, the Fast Track Special Court No 1 jailing the perpetrator to rigorous imprisonment for five years for his crime of sexually assaulting the girl compels one to question the rationale for showing leniency to such man with devilish intention.
While it is obvious that parents, who have had similar experiences, and civil society groups, which have been demanding severest form of punishment, would be miffed with the convict walking free after only five years of confinement, the verdict delivered after nearly four years of the heinous crime was committed itself suggests that more fast track courts need to be established so as to expedite the justice delivery system and prevent possible manipulation of crime records.
In the latest case, the sentence hearing of which was conducted on Saturday, the court also decreed that the perpetrator shall have to cough up a fine of Rs 10,000.
Such a minuscule penalty amount contrary to the gravity of the crime also underscores that the Indian judiciary system has a lot of room for reformation and amendment as per the changing times.
In case of failure to pay the fine, the convict's prison term will be extended by a month, which is yet another grey area in the system for an additional month wouldn't be much of an issue to someone who has remained in isolation, officially, for five years from his loved ones.
Therefore, there is every reason to comprehend that the judgment in the September, 2018 case wouldn't go down well as rights and civil organisations which have been vociferous against crime against women and children.
It must be noted here that there had been protest demonstrations in different corners of the state periodically in condemnation against increasing cases of rape as well as other forms of violence against women and children.
Such agitations underscore the growing restlessness and concern of the public over the government's failure to enact a law under which the sexual offenders could be subjected to the most stringent form of punishment.
With exception of objections raised against the most brutal form of penalty mainly restricted to a handful of so-called enlightened section of the society, there has been increasing demands for death penalty of rapists, which seem justified as perpetrators of such heinous crime don't deserve any mercy.
It's also ironical that when some rape and murder convicts get death sentence, others with similar mind-set and intention are spared of the most brutal form of penalty simply because the victims survive the horror.
There, those holding the rein of power and in the judiciary need to deeply ponder over whether to accord importance to the call of ultra-sympathetic people or act as per the voice and sentiment of the commoners.
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