Why public mum over Soujanya, Mustafa rape cases?

The Delhi rape incident that shook the entire country and outraged protest and anger never like before among the mass is not something that the mass in India is unfamiliar with.

There is the story of Nirbhaya in every nook and corner of the country everyday that many a time goes unnoticed. Why Nirbhaya only and why not Soujanya and Mustafa?

This question remains in the mind as why people especially in this region did not take up parallel kind of large scale protest and agitation when all these women and girls were victimised in the similar way, Nirbhaya was tormented. Why did women folks did not turn out to streets demanding justice following the death of Soujanya and Mustafa?  

Speaking to Deccan Herald, Asha D’Souza, a homemaker said: “Why are we raising our voice now and why not when such incidents happened in our district and region. Why should we go far to Delhi and why we are not thinking about these sort of heinous crimes that are taking place in and around us?

Delhi rape victim was not the only one who was the victim of such assault. There were many others. The best example is Soujanya, the girl who lost her life in the similar way."

Rathi, a librarian in Manipal University feels that there is a need for united reaction from the people in this region similar to that of people in Delhi, when victims like Soujanya and Mustafa faced similar brutality.

Poornima who is an employ in the government office adds that Soujanya was brutally raped and murdered and her body was dumped in the forest. Why our people did not feel for poor little Soujanya. Why we did not create hue and cry for her soul?

Whether it is Nirbhaya or Soujanya, all are one, but the amount of hype on Nirbhaya’s case received was nowhere noticed while these victims lost their lives against similar crime.

The accused in Nirbhaya’s case will be convicted very shortly by making use of all available legal facilities and probabilities. The case is handled in Fast Track Court where the penalty for the victims may be death sentence defending the example of the rarest of the rare cases.

Police were able to trace the offenders immediately and justice will be done to Nirbhayas death.

Here lies a big question. Do we need similar sort of hyped outrage and anger every time when rapes take place to convict the criminals?

What about the accused in Soujanya’s case or Mustafa? Initially the autopsy report of Soujanya revealed that she was raped by a gang of four or five. However, the case was later reportedly twisted following the arrest of one mentally disabled who still hangs-out in the jail. Where are the other accused involved in the crime?

When Delhi police can take action so swiftly, why not Dakshina Kannada and Udupi police? Do police also need issues to be hyped to take quick actions? Do we need CID to investigate the matter always and still the case remains in dark without finding any ray of hope of the criminals getting convicted.

Dakshina Kannada Superintendent of Police Abhishek Goyal told Deccan Herald that a person has been detained under suspicion in Soujanya murder case and the results of DNA test and viscera samples of Soujanya are awaited. The incident had taken place on October 9, 2012.

The only way out to stop the increasing number of rape cases and other kind of atrocities against women is the need to follow the legal steps that are taken in Nirbhaya’s case. When small town cases like Soujanya’s death also don’t go in vain, only then one can expect some surety of security to women in all areas.

Besides, there is a need for silent march, candle light mourning and prayers for all poor Soujanyas to create awareness that every little soul beleaguered and hacked to death is something highly valued and demands justice against the crime.