The emerging facts on the tragic fate that a young girl named Ruchika Girhotra met with after being molested by a top cop 19 years back has become a blot in the collective consciousness of our country. The budding tennis player, who was just 14 years then, was molested by former Haryana Director General of Police, SPS Rathore in the year 1990. In a bid to silence the victim from taking legal action against him, Rathore tortured the family of the girl and influenced his police force to implicate Ruchika’s brother in false cases. Pained by the torture faced by her family members, Ruchika committed suicide 3 years later in 1993.
It took long 19 years for the court to punish the perpetrator of this heinous crime is in itself a matter of disgrace for the Indian judicial system. Adding to this indelible shame is the fact that the court gave only an insignificant punishment of 6 months rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs. 1000 to SPS Rathore. The sight of the culprit walking out of the court smiling was just disgusting for anyone who would have even a trifle of conscience in him. The tragic fate of Ruchika is a classic example of how influential people in our country walk free even after committing serious crimes. Instead of giving judicial and emotional support to the victim, our judicial system had further victimized the victim and her family and gave reprieve to the criminal.
SPS Rathore influenced Ruchika’s alma mater Sacred Heart’s School in Chandigarh and made them expel Ruchika from the school, thereby aggravating the trauma faced by the young girl. In order to save the pride and lives of her family members, Ruchika chose to finish her life rather than fight against the molester cop. Public Interest Litigation is going to get filed against The Sacred Heart’s School for expelling Ruchika on flimsy grounds. Instead of giving moral support for the victim of molestation, the school worsened the trauma of a child by expelling her from the school making false allegations of non-payment of fees. Evidences are now coming out that suggest that Rathore even influenced CBI and removed the officer in charge of the investigation from it. CBI didn’t even press for charges against Rathore for abetment of suicide of the teenage girl.
The public outcry on the issue has made the government to act decisively. The union government has already made the decision to reinvestigate the case. The Home Ministry has also taken steps to withdraw police medals from Rathore and to reduce his pension. Not only in the city of Chandigarh, but all across the country people are out on the streets and asking for justice to Ruchika and her family.
Due credit must be given to the family of Aradhana, Ruchika friend who was the lone eye-witness in the case, for keeping the struggle alive for all these years. They befriended Ruchika’s family and gave all moral, emotional and legal support to her family. Even after 19 years, Aradhana’s family is actively pursuing justice for Ruchika and is without doubt a proud story of strong friendship and human commitment.
The government should not only reinvestigate the case but also should make sure that a criminal like SPS Rathore is getting just punishments. Needed amendments must be made on existing laws to make sure that molesters like Rathore are getting legitimate punishments and the delay on serving justice is minimized to whatever extend possible.
Mobilization of public opinion by the media is one of the most important reasons why the case has shot to national prominence, thereby bringing the attention of the political parties and the union government into this gross miscarriage of justice. The public needs to be vigilant against child molesters like SPS Rathore, otherwise our daughters and sisters would face the kind of ordeal that hapless Ruchika faced in her young life. Today, on the 29th of December, while we are observing the 16th death anniversary of Ruchika - May her soul rest in peace - let us all make a resolution that we would always remain alert against criminals like Rathore and would never allow anyone to face the sort of trauma and injustice that young Ruchika faced.
It took long 19 years for the court to punish the perpetrator of this heinous crime is in itself a matter of disgrace for the Indian judicial system. Adding to this indelible shame is the fact that the court gave only an insignificant punishment of 6 months rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs. 1000 to SPS Rathore. The sight of the culprit walking out of the court smiling was just disgusting for anyone who would have even a trifle of conscience in him. The tragic fate of Ruchika is a classic example of how influential people in our country walk free even after committing serious crimes. Instead of giving judicial and emotional support to the victim, our judicial system had further victimized the victim and her family and gave reprieve to the criminal.
SPS Rathore influenced Ruchika’s alma mater Sacred Heart’s School in Chandigarh and made them expel Ruchika from the school, thereby aggravating the trauma faced by the young girl. In order to save the pride and lives of her family members, Ruchika chose to finish her life rather than fight against the molester cop. Public Interest Litigation is going to get filed against The Sacred Heart’s School for expelling Ruchika on flimsy grounds. Instead of giving moral support for the victim of molestation, the school worsened the trauma of a child by expelling her from the school making false allegations of non-payment of fees. Evidences are now coming out that suggest that Rathore even influenced CBI and removed the officer in charge of the investigation from it. CBI didn’t even press for charges against Rathore for abetment of suicide of the teenage girl.
The public outcry on the issue has made the government to act decisively. The union government has already made the decision to reinvestigate the case. The Home Ministry has also taken steps to withdraw police medals from Rathore and to reduce his pension. Not only in the city of Chandigarh, but all across the country people are out on the streets and asking for justice to Ruchika and her family.
Due credit must be given to the family of Aradhana, Ruchika friend who was the lone eye-witness in the case, for keeping the struggle alive for all these years. They befriended Ruchika’s family and gave all moral, emotional and legal support to her family. Even after 19 years, Aradhana’s family is actively pursuing justice for Ruchika and is without doubt a proud story of strong friendship and human commitment.
The government should not only reinvestigate the case but also should make sure that a criminal like SPS Rathore is getting just punishments. Needed amendments must be made on existing laws to make sure that molesters like Rathore are getting legitimate punishments and the delay on serving justice is minimized to whatever extend possible.
Mobilization of public opinion by the media is one of the most important reasons why the case has shot to national prominence, thereby bringing the attention of the political parties and the union government into this gross miscarriage of justice. The public needs to be vigilant against child molesters like SPS Rathore, otherwise our daughters and sisters would face the kind of ordeal that hapless Ruchika faced in her young life. Today, on the 29th of December, while we are observing the 16th death anniversary of Ruchika - May her soul rest in peace - let us all make a resolution that we would always remain alert against criminals like Rathore and would never allow anyone to face the sort of trauma and injustice that young Ruchika faced.
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