Despite sending his son's 'killers' behind bars, Raj Kachroo says the battle isn't over
Despite sending his son's 'killers' behind bars, Raj Kachroo says the battle isn't over
The four medical students who were found responsible for the death of Aman Kachroo were sentenced to four years in jail each by a fast track court on Thursday in New Delhi. But the deceased's family has prepared itself to fight on. And it is a bigger battle now.
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| Ragged to death: Medical student Aman Kachroo succumbed to his injuries after being assaulted by four of his drunken seniors. file pic |
"Sending the accused behind bars does not mean we have got justice. I will fight against ragging till the end so that no other Aman dies," said Aman's father Raj Kachroo.
The Kachroo family is planning to consult the public prosecutor and request him to appeal against the quantum of punishment. "We are not happy with the sentencing. We feel that the quantum has diluted the message. One of the four accused has a violent back ground. He started the entire episode and was the leader of the gang. He should have been given the severest possible punishment. There should have been a distinction created between the ring leader and the rest," said Raj.
'A good day'Despite this, the family welcomed the decision as the accused were convicted. "We welcome the verdict. It is a good day as it conveys the correct message that ragging and crime in any guise will not be tolerated anymore. That the verdict has come in less than two years is an achievement in itself," Raj said.
All the four students - Ajay Verma, Naveen Verma, Abhinav Verma and Mukul Sharma - were convicted earlier in the day under relevant sections of IPC 304 II (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 452 (house-trespass after preparation for hurt, assault or wrongful restraint) and 34 (common intention) of IPC. The accused students were present in court.
Additional district and sessions judge Purinder Vaidya did not entertain the prosecution plea for convicting the four students of murder under section 302 IPC for which the punishment is life term or death.
Forcing changeThe judgement came 20 months after the Kachroo ragging incident which had triggered uproar and led the state government to come out with a legislation making ragging a cognisable, non-bailable offence.
The maximum punishment for culpable homicide not amounting to murder was ten years but the court awarded a four-year jail term after hearing the arguments of Defence and the Prosecution.
Aman Kachroo (19), a first year MBBS student at Dr Rajendra Prasad Government Medical College at Tanda, 15 km from Kangra district, succumbed to injuries on March 8, 2009 after being ragged by the four drunken final year students.
| Waging a lone |
| Raj Kachroo, a professor by profession, quit his job so that he could lead the AMAN movement - a fight against ragging. "This is a big movement I have started awareness campaigns across India by giving lectures and conducting youth conference. For that I had to leave my job," said Raj.
"AMAN movement has received a lot of appreciation from all and we have several members who have joined us on social networking. Even Aman's friends are helping us in this noble cause.
Nothing could bring back what we have lost but we get some kind of relief when we see that we could do a little to change a student's life,a added Raj. |
