JOIN USThe country reeled under the shock waves of Neeraj Grover’s murder case a few years back. More recently, a man killed his fiancee because she refused to stay with his parents. Another techie killed his teacher-wife and a lady advocate killed her fiance with the help of her lover and other accomplices. The list goes on.
All this and more makes one wonder at the direction our world is taking. Are we becoming so inhumane that we are squashing a human being as we would a fly? We are no strangers to crime of passion. Literature and movies are replete with men or women driven to commit the most heinous crime all because they are unable to keep their passion at check. Lord Macbeth killed King Duncan in a fit of passionate plea from his wife and Brutus for his passion for his country.
Adultery and greed are the most common reasons for committing such crimes. Besides, there is some lacunae in our social fabric that seem to make the perpetrators blase about the whole crime. Passion is a strong and uncontrollable emotion and can cover varied feelings right from love to hate to rage. It is fashionable to be passionate in our talk, work, feelings and relationships. It is this passion that differentiates us human race from other species in the ecological system. Unfortunately, the same emotion can play havoc when it is misdirected. The intolerance in many of us is our inability to accept that the other person’s capacity to think, feel and act differently from us.
Multiple relationships
The ‘instant gratification’ syndrome makes us want people to reciprocate our feelings without much ado. Some from the younger generation do not believe in the sanctity of marriage and monogamous relationships. Multiple relationships, love outside marriage and other vices seem to be the order of the day.
Many a time it is the women who are either perpetrators or the instigators between the present love interest and her family’s choice. ‘Advocate Shubha’ killed her fiance in 2003 with the help of three accomplishes just four days into her engagement. Her lack of courage to stand up to her parents cost a young innocent man his life while destroying his family in the bargain. The fast track court gave her a life sentence in 2010 for a crime committed in 2003 and arrested her soon after as she was on bail. The absolute lack of remorse or guilt on the lady’s face speaks volumes of the state of our times. The nonchalance with which people stage the crimes is even more unnerving. It is almost as if they are aware that the tedious pace of the law in our land is sure to provide them enough time to live their life on their terms for more than half of their lives despite willfully killing a person.
The law is almost farcical. Even in the case of the high profile Susairaj, Grover and Jerome case, the court passed the judgment that Mr Mathew was guilty of culpable homicide not amounting to murder and destruction of evidence and is imprisoned for a mere 10 years while Susairaj who was responsible for this untoward incident and for destruction of evidence walks free to start a new life!
Besides the disregard for the law, the obvious increase in the rate of crime is the breakdown for the strong support system that Indians were known for. The flip side of living in the metros is loneliness. People are not strong emotionally, physically and mentally.
Our country does not believe in shrinks and these compounds to the problem. Psychiatric counseling would help a person handle their emotions better and deal with them in a positive manner.
Today’s youth also have an overweening desire to succeed and such intense competition to succeed at any cost is a recent phenomenon. The value system too is changing to a great extent and what was considered a taboo earlier is considered an everyday occurrence.
Sexual freedom combined with low tolerance is causing many crimes to be perpetrated based on mere suspicion. The traditional Indian men are unable to accept this change in the women and women too are caught between tradition and misplaced freedom. People are becoming impatient in the relationships looking for newer pastures. Moreover, people are no longer keen to resolve differences amicably and want a ‘quick-fix’ solution to their problems.
It is high time that people learn to handle their frustrations and stress in a less harmful manner and control their lust for life to a mere zest for life.
Moral of the story – if you are bored of your non-happening life, just commit a heinous crime. Pick-pocketing or petty thefts won’t do. Just do something extravagant and our law system and government are there to make sure you enjoy a lavish lifestyle after that!