’Aruna must die’

Pinki Virani, whose book Aruna's Story, first drew attention to rape victim Aruna Roy, feels there is no other way out for her

'Aruna must die'

Pinki Virani, whose book Aruna's Story, first drew attention to rape victim Aruna Shanbaug, feels there is no other way out for her

On Friday, November 27, 2009 Aruna Shanbaug, a former nurse at Mumbai's King Edward Memorial (KEM) hospital completed 36 years of living in a semi-coma. A former KEM ward boy, Sohanlal Walmiki had raped Aruna 36 years ago. Aruna was 24 when Sohanlal raped her as revenge for Aruna's threats to complain against him.

She has been in the hospital since. Sohanlal was freed after six years, since he was not tried for rape but robbery.

A room inside the Ward No 4 of King Edward Memorial (KEM) Hospital in Parel is locked with a beige curtain drawn across the door, against the prying eyes of the world. This is where KEM's darkest piece of history, Aruna Shanbaug, lies, crying out strange, feral, animal sounds when this reporter goes in to see her.

Aruna lies on a clean, white metal bed. She has short, grey hair. She is dressed in white, loose pyjamas (trousers) and white kurta. She must weigh between 35-40 kgs.

Her legs are turned inwards at the knees. Her hands are similarly bent at the elbows and her fingers are twisted and gnarled. She can see and hear but cannot speak. She can turn a little on the bed but cannot walk.

There is a wheelchair in the room in which, says, sister-in-charge, Lenny Cornelio, she used to be taken out.

"She is bathed in this room. We used to take her outside to the bathroom earlier, but stopped that after people used to stare at her."

Cornelio adds, "We cut her nails today. Maybe that has hurt her and she is crying out. Some time ago we gave her a squeeze ball (used in physiotherapy) to squeeze so that it could open out her fingers slowly. She cries when she sees it, so we put have put it away."

Assistant matron Urmila Chavan soothes Aruna as Aruna twists and writhes, hitting her legs against the metal bedside, "There is no bed sore on her," she says smiling proudly, "All the staff take such good care."u00a0 According to the sister Cornelio, "Aruna likes non-vegetarian food. We give her eggs twice a week; thrice a week she has chicken. She does not like sweets. We take care of her like a child. Sometimes, she rewards us with a smile and this is all we want."

'She does not need to set any more world records'

Aruna at 62, "is setting the most tragic world record," says writer and journalist, Pinki Virani, whose book on the subject, Aruna's Story encapsulates in detail the horror of the ordeal and aftermath.

Pinki adds that Aruna, who is much more than a subject for a book for her, "Falls into a grey area, as a medico-legal case. It is unique because she does not fall into the euthanasia category. For a euthanasia case, a ventilator needs to be switched off and Aruna is not on a ventilator. She also does not fit into the category of the Right to Die with Dignity because a person has to ask to die with dignity and Aruna cannot speak." Pinki says that she is pursing a course, which might finally give Aruna release, "Aruna must die," says Pinki but does not elaborate.

"A person has to ask to die with dignity and Aruna cannot speak"

Aruna dies in my play: Apte

Veteran theater artiste, Vinay Apte, whose play, 'Katha Arunachi' on Aruna Shanbaug, ran for 92 shows 10 years ago says, "My play was based on descriptions by Dr Ravi Bapat who first found Aruna in the basement after she was brutally raped. Dr Bapat even attended a few rehearsals." Apte adds, "KEM nurses came in to see the play and they had said that they would, 'protest if they found the play was not honest to the subject, but they realised I had done justice'."

Even though Apte was true to Aruna, he did take artistic liberty at the end. "At the end of my play, a matron gives Aruna a strong dose of something lethal because she is about to retire. She says to Aruna in the play: 'After me you would be miserable. I looked after you as if you were my child. Now, you have a long sleep and may you never get up'."u00a0

Apte believes he needed to deviate from real life because, "The audience needs a closed solution, a full stop and this is now I resolved it."u00a0 In real life too, Apte feels, "Aruna needs a release, she needs to die."

'I cannot play god'

Seven deans have changed within KEM, since Aruna's been there. Current KEM hospital Dean, Dr Sanjay Oak takes on the euthanasia question

Some have suggested that it is better if Aruna dies with dignity.

As a doctor, I do not subscribe to this active euthanasia theory. Who am I to decide whether Aruna should live on or not? I cannot play God. We have to care for her till the natural time of her demise and we will. It is our tradition and it is my pledge.