Mysuru witnessed a powerful wave of protests on Saturday, sparked by the horrific rape and murder of a young girl. She had arrived in the city with her family, hoping to earn a living by selling balloons during the vibrant Dasara festival. The tragic incident has ignited a collective demand for justice from numerous organizations across the city.
This heinous crime sent shockwaves throughout Mysuru, prompting a diverse coalition of groups, including the All India Democratic Students’ Organisation (AIDSO), All India Mahila Sanskritik Sanghatane (AIMSS), and the Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha (KRRS), along with many passionate social activists, to unite in protest.
G.S. Seema, the State vice-president of AIMSS, poignantly highlighted how this tragedy brutally exposed the precarious vulnerability faced by impoverished and migrant families who journey to Mysuru in search of work and a better life.
She called for an immediate and thorough investigation, emphasizing the need for swift justice and the harshest possible punishment for the perpetrator. Additionally, she pressed for adequate compensation to be provided to the victim’s grieving parents.
Furthermore, AIMSS implored authorities to actively combat the proliferation of obscene content in media, asserting that such material erodes societal values. They also urged stricter controls on the sale of liquor, gambling, and illicit drugs, citing their corrosive impact on the community.
Nithin, district secretary of AIDSO, described the incident as a stark reflection of decaying societal values. He expressed profound distress over the fact that a young girl, who should have been attending school, was instead forced to join her family’s livelihood efforts and tragically became a victim of such extreme brutality.
Critics sharply rebuked the government for its apparent failure to guarantee the safety of migrant workers who flock to the city during Dasara, seeking to earn a meager living. AIDSO pointed out the hypocrisy of spending vast sums on the festival’s grandeur while neglecting to provide even basic necessities like temporary shelter and essential amenities for vulnerable vendors and migrant laborers.
Hoskote Basavaraju, the divisional organizing secretary of the KRRS, echoed these concerns, stating that the incident unequivocally exposed significant administrative and police negligence during the festive period.
He demanded accountability from the authorities, accusing them of prioritizing the well-being of the wealthy and politically connected, while leaving unorganized nomadic communities tragically neglected.
Prominent social activist Ugra Narasimha Gowda, advocate Babu Rajan, and representatives from Samata Vedike, AIDYO, and various other farmers’ groups collectively emphasized that Mysuru’s esteemed reputation as a cultural hub must extend beyond its grand celebrations. They argued it should fundamentally be built upon compassion and the unwavering protection of society’s most vulnerable members.
Later in the evening, the BJP also held a powerful demonstration outside the city court complex, sharply criticizing the State government for what they asserted was a complete breakdown of law and order. BJP activists declared that the city, once known as a cultural capital, had regrettably transformed into a hub of crime.