MADURAI: Observing that youngsters lack emotional intelligence and take extreme steps at the slightest of disturbance and rejection without understanding the consequences, the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court recently said the educational system should put more focus on the emotional quotient (EQ) than on the intelligence quotient (IQ).
A Bench comprising Justices J Nisha Banu and N Anand Venkatesh made the above observations while dismissing an appeal filed by Balamurugan of Madurai, challenging the conviction and life sentence imposed on him for setting a 14-year-old girl on fire after she rejected his advances, in 2018. Noting that such incidents are on the rise, the judges said, “It only reflects the fact that man considers woman like a chattel and wants to own or forcibly take her under his control, without understanding that a woman is also a human being, who is entitled to decide on her wishes.”
Pointing out how Balamurugan, who was 28 years old at the time of the incident, had stalked the deceased, a Class 9 student, and later set her on fire when she did not accept his proposal, the judges said, “He did not realise that this foolish act will bring to an end his connections with the society to a grinding halt and will confine him to the prison for his life. If the educational system does not start focusing on emotional intelligence more, youngsters will not be ready to take up the emotional challenges however bright or successful they may be. The situation worsens when the parents, instead of guiding their children, start pampering them.”
Considering the dying declaration of the deceased and the statement of eye-witnesses, the judges concluded that the prosecution had proved the case beyond reasonable doubt and confirmed Balamurugan’s conviction. According to the prosecution, Balamurugan, an AC mechanic, was frequently harassing the deceased, though she had told him she was not interested in him.
A case was pending against him in this regard in Thirumangalam All Women Police station. When the girl was returning from school on February 16, 2018 at around 4.30 pm, Balamurugan poured petrol on her and set her ablaze. She succumbed at the hospital 11 days later. The Mahila Court in Madurai had imposed life sentence on him on September 26, 2019, challenging which Balamurugan had filed the appeal.