The shocking case of an alleged child rapist and murderer on the loose who killed his mother recently when she refused to part with her jewellery, had a lot of twists and turns before the long arm of the law finally caught up with him. After allegedly killing his mother, Daswant (23) fled to Mumbai where he was arrested by a police team from Tamil Nadu in a joint operation with a Maharashtra team. He embarrassed them by slipping away and changed his appearance with a haircut and a shave.
While cynical hacks predicted Daswant would be bumped off in a fake encounter, he was spotted again, this time in the Kala Ghoda area of Mahalakshmi Race Course in Mumbai primarily because of his weakness for racing. He was bundled off to Chennai where he is now being interrogated.
A techie to boot, Daswant got a kiss of life from the Madras High Court after it let him out on bail in September by quashing the Goondas Act invoked against him for the rape and murder of his neighbour’s seven-year-old daughter.
Yet, he could not shake off his passion for racing and became a burden on his family. Goes to show how formal education alone is not enough to become a responsible citizen. Education opens a window to knowledge alright, but it is up to each individual to take their pick. Perhaps a bit of good old moral science classes in school could have channelised his energies better, but the course is no longer taught.
Daswant’s case also puts focus on the worrying climb in crime against children across India. It went up by 13.6 per cent in 2015-16 as compared to a 5.3 per cent the previous year, according to NCRB data. In fact, crime against children in India is the second biggest category, way beyond those against SCs, STs or senior citizens. Quick rendering of justice and exemplary punishment like the recent one handed out to a rapist dad in Tiruchy who was awarded three consecutive life sentences could serve as a deterrent.