From time immemorial, we have been thinking of the ways to prevent rapes in our country. Unfortunately, the crimes have been directly proportional to the laws and legal penalties. Harsh deeds demand harsh punishments and it is tragic to learn that we lack behind in getting immediate justice. Not so long ago, the nation has mourned Disha's rape and murder case in Hyderabad. Now, another case has hit the grief-stricken India from Gujarat.

Amid rejoicing the Supreme Court's decision to execute Nirbhaya's rapists, another horrific gang rape case emerged and the victim is Kajal Rathod, a 19-year-old Dalit girl hailing from Gujarat's Modasa village in the Aravalli district. On Jan 5th, Kajal's body was found hanging from a Banyan tree on the outskirts of Saira Village. Coming into the horrid details, Kajal has reportedly gone for a shopping with her sister on Dec 31 and she did not return home. Her family members who looked for her learnt from Kajal's sister,  who had accompanied her that Kajal was forcefully taken by accused Bimal Bharwad in his car.

The CCTV footage also showed the victim in a car along with Bimal. The family went to the police station to file a missing person's FIR claiming that she had been kidnapped, raped and murdered. However, cops and Bimal, both have sugarcoated her family members that Kajal is safe and she had eloped with her love from her community. Both later denied saying this to the family. On January 5, a local man called Kajal's uncle to inform him about Kajal's body which they had found hanging on a banyan tree on the outskirts of the village.  

Reports claim that she had been raped, murdered and then hung up to stage a suicide. Soon after, Kajal's family have once again lodged an FIR against Bimal and his three friends, Darshan Bharwad, Satish Bharwad and Jigar for gang rape and murder. Since the girl's parents refused to accept the body until the suspects are arrested and police inspector NK Rabari gets suspended for not filing an FIR, on Jan 7, all four accused have been arrested following heavy protests from the Dalit community.

Unfortunate that the mainstream media did not cover the issue as much as other cases and the Dalit community showed outrage on the same, calling it as caste discrimination. The angry Twitterati has been blaming casteism and trended hashtag #JuticeForKajal.

SOURCE : GULTE