Echoes of a vibrant civic voice

I am elated, relieved and at peace when I think of the fact that a vibrant, strong, spirited, honest civic voice is still pulsating in our country. Proof of it being the landmark verdict of death penalty awarded to Santhosh Kumar Singh, the man who stalked, raped and murdered Priyadarshini Mattoo, his junior in Delhi University’s law college, more than a decade ago.
It is heartening to note the overwhelming response and interest this case has generated in the country across states, cultures, sexes and religions. Touchingly, one of the important persons who revived this case this year, gathering huge support and consensus is a boy, Aditya Raj Kaul, who has just completed his 12th standard.
The most interesting aspect of this judgment is the fact that Singh was convicted, in spite of him being a successful practising lawyer and the son of an influential former IPS officer. This is indeed novel in India, where pampered rich kids of important parents get away with committing any heinous crime that would have sent shivers down the spines of Agatha Christie and Alfred Hitchcock too!!
I know that there are some of us (very few actually, if you go by the comments of readers in papers and news sites) who feel that we should do away with the death penalty altogether; but, I strongly feel that nothing justifies a premeditated crime such as this one except the punishment equaling the crime, death of course, in this instance….