The news about four students who ragged Aman Kachroo to death will be freed on good conduct even before the only four years of rigorous imprisonment they got is a shock. Why have a law then and go through the motions of running a case ? It is an utter waste of time. Like what happened in the Navarasu case. The accused went free for lack of evidence, despite the fact that he had killed and chopped his juniors body to pieces for resisting being ragged.
If people after committing a crime as serious can get back their lives (here, go back to med school and complete the course) then, where is the deterrent ? The only problem is that they cannot go for a government job. How many doctors, especially those from affluent families go for a government job and are willing to be posted in remote areas ? So, is this a criteria at all.
When a student copies in an exam, they are debarred for a semester. When the same activity is repeated, they can get debarred from the course and out of the college/university and never study there again. So, comparatively, does the Ragging Law have any teeth ? Is it a strong enough deterrent to stop people from ragging fellow students ? Just signing an affidavit (as is required now) is no strong deterrent. What might be a deterrent I am not sure.
Many argue that forgiveness is a virtue. But can I tell that to the parents of the kid who died ? Even if they in their largeness of heart, forgive, can the law do so ? If yes, will it be able to stop a repetition of such a crime.
So, can we as a system allow perpetrators of a crime go free and reclaim their old lives just because they stayed quiet in jail. Besides, Indian jails are known for all kind of luxury if you know where to give and who to give as demonstrated so many times in news reports.
Only questions, no answers.
