Just as news of the special fast track court handing the death sentences to the four gang-rape accused trickled in, south Delhi’s Ravi Dass Camp heaved a collected sigh of relief on Friday. But relief soon gave way to resentment at the “partiality” of the sentence.
Glued to their televisions since afternoon — and now somewhat used to the police presence in the slum which Mukesh Singh, Vinay Sharma, Pawan Gupta and Akshay Thakur called home till not very long ago — residents reacted differently to the sentencing than they have ever since their locality became the epicentre of media glare.
“Soch ke dekho toh yeh insaaf kya sach mein insaaf hai? (Come to think of it, is this kind of justice actually justice),” asked Mamta, Pawan’s neighbour.
“I’m not questioning the verdict per se — it was a brutal crime and they must be punished for it, yes — but why just them? Why should only that boy (the juvenile accomplice) deserve a chance at reformation and not our boys?” she asked.
Asha Devi, another resident, agreed. “Phaansi ho ya maafi, sab ko saath honi chahiye (Death by hanging or pardon — everyone (involved) should get the same punishment),” she said.
{{/usCountry}}Asha Devi, another resident, agreed. “Phaansi ho ya maafi, sab ko saath honi chahiye (Death by hanging or pardon — everyone (involved) should get the same punishment),” she said.
{{/usCountry}}According to others, however, the verdict was in line with their expectations ever since the horrific incident was reported on the fateful morning of December 17 last year.
“So what if they were our neighbours; I am happy at the verdict. We were worried about getting our own daughters married after the case was highlighted,” said Sarita, a resident. “What goes around certainly comes around.”
“Justice has been served and this verdict is a lesson for every wayward young man growing up not only in this slum but anywhere in the country,” said Prakash Dev, another resident. “Heaven and hell are concepts. Both of them exist here on earth.”