Crime and criminality have always coexisted in society, but what is worrying is the increasing number and brutality of the crimes being committed. As India pushes to emerge as a developed nation, concerns about crime and public safety continue to remain important. As per the latest National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data, in 2014, there were 33,981 cases of murder reported, 41,791 cases of attempt to murder, 36,735 cases of rape, 82,235 cases of attempt to outrage modesty of women, 77,237 cases of kidnapping and abduction, amongst the more serious crimes. 2015 has had its fair share of serious crimes, with several cases that caught the nation’s attention. Here are some of the more widely reported cases this year.
Sheena Bora murder case
The Sheena Bora murder case received extensive media attention and public interest in 2015. Sheena Bora was one of two children born out of a relationship between Indrani Mukherjea (nee Bora) and Siddharth Das, both residents of Assam at the time. Indrani Mukherjea subsequently left her elder daughter Sheena and younger son Mikhail Bora with her parents in Guwahati and moved to Kolkata to pursue her career. There she met Sanjeev Khanna, who offered the opportunity of a better life, and they were soon married. Vidhi, the only child from this marriage, was born soon after. It was only a matter of time before the marriage broke up, and Indrani Mukherjea moved to Mumbai along with Vidhi to pursue her life and career. She soon met Peter Mukherjea, who was then the head of Star Television, and they subsequently got married. Peter had a son, Rahul, from a previous marriage. Sheena Bora soon relocated to Mumbai to pursue her college studies but was publicly introduced as Indrani’s sister, while Mikhail was referred to as her brother. In April 2012, Sheena Bora’s body was discovered in the Raigad district of Maharashtra, but the body remained unidentified, and the case lay in suspension until the arrest of Shyamwar Rai, Indrani and Peter Mukherjea’s driver, who provided information to investigators regarding Indrani and her former husband Sanjeev Khanna’s alleged involvement in the murder. Peter Mukherjea too was subsequently arrested in connection with the case, which was being investigated by the CBI. The high-profile background of those involved, along with revelations concerning Indrani’s past, caught the nation’s attention and received extensive television and media coverage. The case was among the most widely discussed criminal investigations of 2015.
Dadri lynching case
28 September, 52-year-old Mohammad Akhlaq was dragged out of his home in a village in Dadri, U.P., and lynched by a mob following allegations and rumours concerning cow slaughter and the consumption of beef. His 22-year-old son Danish was also severely beaten while trying to intervene. Reports at the time said that an announcement had been made from a local temple over a public address system concerning allegations that a calf had been killed and that beef had been consumed. In a matter of minutes, an angry crowd reached his house, and he was brutally beaten to death. His 22-year-old son Danish tried to intervene but was severely beaten. The incident generated widespread political and public debate, including discussions around communal tensions and the issue of cow slaughter and beef consumption. The case led to several arrests, with those accused facing proceedings under the law.
Kalburgi murder case
MM Kalburgi was a writer and social activist living in Karnataka when he was shot dead in August 2015. His killing prompted concerns about attacks on writers, rationalists and critics of religious practices. Investigators examined the circumstances of his killing and possible links with earlier cases involving Narendra Dabholkar and Govind Pansare. His murder was widely discussed in the context of concerns about freedom of expression and intolerance. The CBI team, which was investigating the Dabholkar murder case in Maharashtra, was reported to be considering taking over the Kalburgi case from the Karnataka CID.
Nadia gang rape case
The brutal gang rape of a 71-year-old Catholic Nun, teaching in a school in Ranaghat in Nadia district of West Bengal, drew global condemnation of the heinous act in March this year. CCTV footage caught the aggressors on camera, and several suspects were subsequently arrested as the investigation progressed.
Dimapur Mob lynching case
March this year saw yet another incident of mob justice when 35-year-old Syed Farid Khan was dragged out of prison by a large mob that had gathered outside by the thousands. Khan, a resident of Dimapur, had been jailed in connection with allegations that he had raped a 20-year-old Naga woman. Prison guards were unable to prevent the mob from entering the prison, after which Khan was dragged out, stripped and lynched in public. The act drew condemnation from all quarters and also raised questions about the prevailing law and order situation in Nagaland. The incident also generated political and social debate in the region.
Hema Upadhyay murder case
On 12 December this year, Hema Upadhyay, an artist living in Mumbai, was found murdered along with her lawyer, Harish Bhambhani. Both bodies had been found inside cardboard boxes wrapped in plastic and dumped in a drain in the Kandivali area of Mumbai. Hema was going through a troubled marriage with her artist husband, Chintan Upadhyay, and their divorce proceedings were underway. Given their background, the case drew wide media attention, leading to several people being arrested in connection with the killing. Chintan Upadhyay, Hema’s estranged husband, was subsequently arrested in connection with the case. The investigation was continuing at the time.
