Mumbai police speak their mind on Shakti Mills gangrape case
The victim cried inconsolably and demanded punishment of the accused
Mumbai: The Shakti mills case is the gangrape of a 22-year-old magazine photojournalist who had gone to the deserted Shakti Mills compound in Central Mumbai with a male colleague on an assignment on August 22, 2013.
Five men, (including a juvenile, whose case was separated), were charged with raping her there after assaulting her colleague. They are Vijay Jadhav, Kasim Bengali, Salim Ansari, Siraj Rehman and a minor.
The rape sent shockwaves across India’s financial capital. After all, a rape in the central up-market suburbs like Mumbai Central could never be imagined.
Read: 5 found guilty of gangraping two women in Mumbai's Shakti Mills
Politicians cried foul and people didn’t lose time dissing policemen and commenting on how the law and order situation of the city was alarmingly dipping.
Rising criticism and a constant negative reporting didn’t discourage the men in khaki.
Policemen swooped in and 12 crime units were alerted. In a matter of 65 hours, all the 5 accused were arrested.
The prosecution examined 44 witnesses in the photojournalist's case and the death penalty was pronounced.
The accused were awarded death sentence under the new (amended) Section of 376 (e) of the Indian Penal Code, as they were found guilty in two gangrape cases. The fourth convict was awarded life imprisonment.
Read: Shakti Mills gangrape cases: 3 convicts sentenced to death for repeat offence
The judge said that there is no chance of reformation of these accused and they are a menace to society and there is a need to give a stern message to similar people.
Quick and efficient work by the Mumbai Police brought the case to its justified and logical end.
After two years, the policemen in the case speak their minds. They too are human, and have feelings.
In a video by Vibha Bakshi, the policemen tell us their side of the story. Their horror on receiving reports of the heinous rape and what drove them to solve the case to ensure there was no miscarriage of justice.
It is easy to criticise. However, for once let us appreciate the work done by the brave men in uniform and trust them.