It was a grim seven-days as a wave of disturbing crimes rocks Bangalore, prompting urgent pleas for immediate action
Week of Woes
The past week have been a harrowing one for the crime-aware in Bangalore. For it bore witness to two deeply distressing incidents in the state that sent shivers down the spine of many.
Firstly, it was the shocking news of a city-based CEO smothering her 4-year-old son in a service apartment in Goa and the second, seven men “gang-raping” a woman in Haveri.
Bangaloreans had somehow managed grappling with the unimaginable first, when the second dropped, shattering all hard-earned endurance in a jiffy.
“I am at a loss for words to describe the gravity of the crime in the case of a mother killing her son. It’s utterly horrifying. As a mother myself, even contemplating such a thought is deeply disturbing,” says Sunita Parekh, a mother of a 7-year-old, in Indranagar.
The police, tirelessly working since the incidents surfaced, swiftly apprehended and placed accused CEO Suchana Seth in 11-day judicial custody. In the Haveri case, three out of the seven assailants are in custody and based on the victim’s statement, charges of gang-rape have been registered against them.
These two back-to-back incidents, though unrelated, have once again brought the alarming crime situation in Bangalore into the spotlight.
According to data released by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) in December 2023, Karnataka witnessed a staggering total of 180,742 criminal cases, including 598 rapes, 67 human trafficking cases, and 1,482 murders. This data indicates a significant surge from the 163,697 cases reported in 2021 and the 150,080 documented in 2020.
Evidently, Bangaloreans are uneasy with the prevailing situation.
“The city’s rising crime rates are deeply concerning, tarnishing Bangalore’s cosmopolitan charm known for compassion and inclusivity. The recent incident harassing an interfaith couple is shocking. I, as an adult, assert my right to choose a partner without seeking validation. Moral policing must be criminalised,” opines 24-year-old Piyush Bhardwaj, an IT executive in Electronic city.
However, there are arguments emerging to explore the unprecedented rise in crime in the city—attributing it to anger, provocation, and intolerance.
As reported in national media, both Seth and the seven accused in the rape case allegedly committed their horrifying acts in a fit of rage. Seth reportedly killed her son after the court allowed her estranged husband to meet the four-year-old, while the seven individuals harassed a couple in a hotel in Haveri, ostensibly expressing disapproval of their interfaith marriage – in both the case, the reported reason is, fit of rage.
Experts argue that anger, particularly when it reaches a point of causing harm, necessitates counselling. Ritu Jaiswal, a seasoned psychologist, affirms, “Anger is a universal emotion, but when it escalates to the point of causing harm to oneself or others after being triggered, immediate attention becomes crucial. Undoubtedly, anger has played a significant role in the crimes that have unfolded.”
A neighbour of Seth in the Unishire Terraza apartments, where she had rented a two-bedroom unit, on Rachenahalli Main Road, told a national daily that the AI expert never used to interact with anyone and kept it to herself, avoiding gatherings.
Jaiswal highlights that anger often originates from suppressed emotions. Some individuals grapple with self-harm tendencies, while others feel the impulse to inflict harm upon others. “In both scenarios, the core issue lies in the desire to cause harm. These individuals may have experienced betrayal or a lack of emotional support, contributing to their challenges. Creating awareness about anger management can be instrumental in addressing this problem,” she asserts.
Meanwhile, the assault on the interfaith couple in Haveri has taken a new turn, now viewed as a volatile blend of anger and intolerance.
Haveri’s Superintendent of Police revealed that the incident, initially categorised as moral policing, will be reclassified as a serious crime. “We will amend the First Information Report (FIR) based on the new information, and the accused will face charges under Section 376D (rape by one or more persons with a common intention),” SP Anshhu Srivastava was quoted as saying.
Despite the change in perspective, residents of Bangalore remain disheartened by such instances of moral policing in a state known for its culture and perceived tolerance.
Archita Parashar, a 25-year-old techie residing on Church Street, expressed her discontent, stating, “Moral policing is unjustified; personal morality need not align with others. As long as I’m not harming anyone, my integrity is beyond question. The right to choose one’s close proximity is an individual’s prerogative. In this case, the couple was married, leaving no grounds for harassment. Perpetrators must face punishment to set a precedent, ensuring no other couple endures such injustice in the future.”