the futility of life and death

The crowd cheered and clapped and shouted with relieved vengeance today as the four rapist-murderers were sentenced to hang. People shouted bloodthirsty slogans calling for stricter punishment for the juvenile.

I don't know what it says about us as a society that we ask for bloody vengeance when shaken out of our stupor but live in a fog of acceptance to everyday harassment.

I am a reporter, I am a woman living in Delhi.

As a reporter, it is my job to meet strangers and go places. As a woman, i travel with a purse large enough that it can cover my torso/ back when taking public transport and carry pepper spray in a pocket. The spray has thankfully never been used, the bag serves its purpose every day.

Am i happy that these men who tore at that hapless girl like beasts will now hang? Yes.

Even if the idea of killing makes me uneasy, i am used to the idea that rabid dogs must be put down, and an animal which has tasted blood will forever seek it.

But who is this animal that's tasted blood??

After the gleeful protesters left the court and the police slowly began retreating, it was only a handful of reporters and random people on the road outside the Saket court. And on that empty road as I walked towards the exit, some unknown man deliberately walked up behind me, bumped into my arm, and kept walking as if nothing had happened.

There was at least 10 ft of empty space on every side around me.. And yet he walked close enough to touch my hand.

Less than 30 minutes after protesters shouted slogans for women's safety and death to rapists. less than 50 meters from where the protesters gathered.

I don't know who that man was.

I didn't even react to his behaviour because its been drilled into me since childhood to not react, step away and walk on.

And today especially i feel violated more than ever.

What was the point of these protests and the sentence and the so called sensitization for the past year??

Who does this death sentence serve as a deterrent for??