A country that reveres Shakti, the goddess of power, has failed to protect its women.

 

August 15, 2004

Dhananjay Chatterjee was executed for a crime he was convicted of in 1990.  Three key points to note are:

• The execution took place 14 years after his initial conviction.
• There were lingering doubts about Dhananjay's innocence, with some believing that the real perpetrator, who had influential connections, managed to avoid punishment.
• Media outlets hailed the execution as a landmark decision, claiming it would deter future heinous crimes. But did it?  

December 6, 2019

Four suspects were fatally shot by police in what authorities claimed was an encounter. The case is ongoing, yet it remains a stark reminder of a crime that gripped the nation. The swiftness with which the police apprehended and then eliminated the accused sparked intense public debate. While questions linger about the use of lethal force, the tragic outcome has not proven to be an effective deterrent.

March 20, 2020

Mukesh Singh, Vinay Sharma, Akshay Thakur and Pawan Gupta were executed at Tihar Jail for a crime convicted in 2012. A crime that shook the collective consciousness of the entire nation. A fast-track court convicted the accused within a year. Yet

• An eight-year delay in execution exposed flaws in our justice system.
• While there were no doubts about the convicts, the case exposed critical flaws in the Juvenile Justice Act, which limited the punishment for one of the key offenders. The subsequent amendment in 2015 addressed this issue, but the question remains:
• Did the ultimate penalty serve as a deterrent?

 9 August 2024

Two decades after the execution of Dhananjay Chatterjee, a horrific assault on a doctor within the hallowed grounds of a medical college has sent shockwaves through the nation. The medical fraternity has united in outrage, demanding justice for their colleague. Yet, this harrowing incident serves as a stark reminder of a macabre reality: A country that reveres Shakti, the goddess of power, has failed to protect its women.