Protestors march in show of solidarity for slain woman Carol Misquitta; urge more serious and speedy response to missing person complaints
Massive response to the call for a prayer walk
More than 100 candles flickered in the dusk, as the Christian community and locals of other faiths held a prayer march in solidarity and support for slain Carol Misquitta. The walk took place late Sunday evening after mass, starting from St Francis Xavier’s Church burial ground to St Braz Road, Vile Parle where Carol’s residence is. Carol, 28, went missing on January 24. Her body was found in Palghar on February 4.
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Fast track trial
Though Carol is no more and both young men have been nabbed by the police, those who marched through the streets on Sunday evening still say they want ‘justice’. “We do know that two men have been caught... We also want the trial to be fast tracked. I give a timeline of one year,” said activist Godfrey Pimenta who was at the march and was heartened by the number of persons who participated. "We all kept some distance and were masked, observing protocols. This show of strength, solidarity, and anger towards an initial investigation where many things fell through the cracks, was important. This is not just one person saying it, the sheer numbers that were present illustrates this was the overarching sentiment,” explained Pimenta.
An example
For Darryl D’Souza, Mumbai president of the Maharashtra Minority Christian Development Council (MMCDC), it was a time for soul searching and contemplation within the group of marchers. Said D’Souza, “We started with a prayer at the grave and ended with a prayer, near her residence. It was a solemn, stirring moment, some came with banners asking for justice, there were some speeches. We quoted Biblical principles and one of the 10 commandments that says: thou shalt not kill.” For D’Souza, how justice will be served corresponding with the sentence for the accused will set an example. “It was evident that the murder was not the spur of the moment, it was planned,” he stated.
The response
Activist Anita Shetty stated, “I participated in the candlelight march. I give full marks to the Palghar police for the commendable work they are doing, currently. This should be a reminder that missing investigations must be fast and cops must respond with vigour.”
Non-Government Organisation (NGO) Watchdog Foundation trustee Nicholas Almeida said, “I spoke at the candlelight march that there are several kinds of Zico’s in the world, one a great footballer and today another accused of a brutal murder. In fact, we learnt that the killing was so heinous that the weapon was left inside the body. We need to not just talk but ensure women’s safety. This case also proves that youth counselling initiatives must gain greater momentum within the community. When the slain girl’s mother was urging the cops to investigate the boy who has been nabbed now, he was allegedly questioned and let off in some minutes. This sends the wrong signal. If there is one message we wanted to make viral through the light of those flickering candles, it is that missing complaints must be taken very seriously and followed up with great alacrity.”
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