Smita Mishra
The death of a girl in unnatural circumstances is always viewed with a veiled misgiving on her character. The public is always ready to attribute the heinous crime to some jilted lover, a murky relation or an unbridled lifestyle. So when Jigeesha Ghosh died the general reaction was not more than a few words of criticism against the Delhi police and a sense of wonderment as to why do women venture out late nights when they know that the city is unsafe.
But when within two days of Jigeesha’s murder the Delhi police said that it had nabbed the culprits behind the brutal crime, making it clear that the girl was murdered not due to any personal grudge but for the sake of a few thousand rupees, disquiet filled all minds.
Jigeesha’s case became an episode with which we all could relate to, a mishap that could happen at any point of time to anyone in the capital.
Amidst the bustle of Delhi police’s claims of solving twin murders- the other being of journalist Soumya Vishvanathan who died barely six months ago under similar circumstances, what missed our attention was the pain and effort taken by Jigeesha’s parents in solving the case. On finding that their daughter’s ATMs were used in making purchases from Sarojini Nagar Market, the old couple moved from shop to shop in scorching summer heat to collect information about her killers.
What pain, what agony their battered hearts must be undergoing as not even 2 days had elapsed of Jigeesha’s murder when they set out in search of her killers. Their desire to find truth and seek justice for their only child took them to the watch store from where the killers had purchased goods worth Rs 36,000. Thankfully the CCTV footage showed clearly the faces of culprits. In fact Zee News sources even spotted Jigesha’s gold chain around the neck of one accused.
Barely a couple of hours after killing Jigeesha, the heartless monsters shopped extravagantly with her money, buying LCD TV, watches, shoes and sunglasses!
Ravi Kapoor the prime suspect in both murders is a police informer who was in constant touch with Delhi police officials. His wife confessed before Zee News team that her husband received several phone calls from police officials and he used to boast that solving Soumya or Aarushi murder case was on his finger tips!
The irony does not end here. This murder took place within four kilometre radius of the area where Soumya was shot dead and by the same gang. Had police caught the criminals then, a tragedy so heart wrenching could have been averted.
The criminals who had no remorse of what they had done told police that they had assured the girl that they would let her go once all her money was withdrawn. Moving from ATM to ATM in wee hours when no possible help could be sought, not to speak of police, the miserable girl must have hoped till last. But the brutes smothered her to death once their job was done.
If it was the same gang that had shot Soumya six months ago, it had no doubt become bolder and more daring. While in first case they had chased Soumya who was talking on phone and driving slowly and shot her when she refused to stop, in the second case they forcefully abducted Jigeesha just outside her home. While in case of Soumya they did not dare to touch her belongings, seeing her bleed profusely, in case of Jigeesha they moved with her for hours on Delhi roads, finally killing her early in the morning.
What made the criminals so audacious, so gutsy? A red beacon light, a police uniform, an identity as a special police officer and roaming unchecked on roads at night went unnoticed forever. What if the parents of Jigeesha had not taken the initiative…would there be yet another helpless girl their next victim? There are questions that remain to be answered. The lacunae are many. Why was the girl dropped last as against company policy? Why did the driver not see her enter her home safely and where were police patrolling vehicles when the killers moved unbridled on roads?
Should women give up their jobs to remain safe? It is on the police to decide now as it no longer remains a personal choice of women in the capital.
