mid-day editorial: Kin of criminals need to speak up & aloud

Days after news of the Pune techie's murder surfaced, outrage among the masses, especially women, continues. If there's some aspect that's remotely heartening in the case, it's the fact that the killer's mot­her has disowned him and urged the cops to ensure that he is punished.

The accused, a security guard at Infosys, allegedly killed the 25-year-old techie because she had rebuked him for staring at her. He strangulated her on a Sunday, when she came in to work alone to complete a pending project.

The case, of course, will continue to make headlines because of the brutality of the crime, and it will help underscore the need for ensuring better security provisions for women at the workplace. And, like the killer's mother in this case, perhaps it's time that families of criminals stand up for what is right and not defend the accused only by virtue of the fact that they share blood ties. Spouses, siblings, friends and partners of criminals should speak out against the criminals if proven guilty, especially if they are guilty of causing harm to women and children.

Over the years, there have been numerous instances of families spending lakhs trying to defend the accused, blaming cops and 'the system' for injustice. Why not stand on the other side of the spectrum and review the situation? It may be impossible for a parent to accept their child has killed or raped someone, but the victims, too, were someone's kids.

Several women, even famous ones, have stood by their sons and husbands when the latter were booked for sex crimes. While they may think they are doing justice to their role as kin of the accused, at the end of the day, they may be haunted by their own demons and doubts for choosing the wrong side.