The question is...

Woke up to the news that all the accussed of Hyderabad Rape-Murder case were killed in the Police "encounter". While scrolling through the Whatsapp, saw many "congratulatory", "justice done" etc etc as status updates. I was clueless as to how should I 'respond'. So decided to write instead. 

While I was totally shocked to read about the gruesome rape & murder of that Vet, I was equally taken aback with the 'encounter' of those accussed too. I admit to this feeling of mine, at the risk of being called as hypocrite. However, these series of incidents left me with following questions:

1. Rape and Murder - not only highlight gross violation of human right but also highlight the failure of the system which is in place. There is no safe and secure place for women and will there be any in future given the rising number of gender based crimes?

2. Justice is system is flawed & I fear if it is beyond repair! Police show apathy towards such incidents when one goes to register a complaint. Then there is faulty evidence collection methods.  Delays in filing chargesheet, arresting the accussed and final delivery of the justice, all of it is so time consuming & agonising that one loses faith in the system. How many rapes & murders will be 'required' for improvement of this 'justice system'?  

3. 'Extra-judicial' killings or 'encounters' of accussed only starkly highlight the failure of system in place and hence it does not deserve any applause. It essentially means we are heading towards anarchy or state of lawlessness. And if 'justice' is so quick and easy, why spare those 'godmans', 'influential persons', 'actors', 'persons in authority' & even in some cases 'husbands, brothers, uncles, fathers' who are 'accussed' of rape? Why wait? Why not kill them all? Why to have double standards?

4. Will such 'extra-judicial' killings stop the next crime? Will women be safe?

Women, be it working or homemaker, 3 months old or 90 years old, Burkha-clad or Saree clad, with 'male' relatives or without them, at morning, at night or at any given point of time in 24 hours, is not safe. I guess everyone will second this. This precisely also means that everyone will second that we as a society are total failure on front of safety to almost half of the total population.

Patriarchal mindset and the resultant social structure & dynamics are the basic cause of this situation. This is so because it subordinates one gender, while offering unprecedented authority to the other one. This gives rise to the belief of the other gender to have 'sense of entitlement' & 'right to control' the subordinated gender. Systematically, through our very own families and other social setups, this mindset is percolated deep in the subconscious & internalised in both the genders. Besides, movies and other popular culture is ready and flooding with enormous materials to concretise the existing prejudices & biases we have. 

Coming back, 'Encounter' is no solution, its just a quick-fix! It only makes matter worse since it only address the symptom and not the root-cause of the problem. Let alone being deterrent, it will fail to stop the next same crime. All it can achieve is pacification of the 'popular sentiments'. However, actions of any organ of the administration cannot be driven by the 'popular emotions'. This is a sure path towards anarchy. It also erodes faith in the 'justice system'. 

Another problematic issue is the reaction of the elected leaders. Forget bringing stringent laws in place & instilling faith in the Constitution, democracy & justice system given under it, these shit-heads encourage 'lynching'. Also they serve us 'gems of wisdom' like 'girl should not have access to technology or mobile; girl should not move out without male relative; chowmein leads to such crimes; girl should be married off at young age; she should not wear short clothes blah blah!' By making such statements you are essentially putting onus on the victim herself & encouraging those with such criminal tendencies. If only these had some brains & common-sense! But its too much to have expectations from these.

Solution to the problem is as complex as the problem itself. It involves each one of us as an individual, as a family, as a society and as a system. It will take loads of doing, learning and unlearning at personal level as well as revamping of systems be it laws, administration, judiciary or executive. Question is are we ready?