17 June,2009 09:02 AM IST | | MiD DAY Correspondent
Family is crumbling under the stress of city life. The emotionally vulnerable are increasingly turning against their kins
Family is the ultimate balm to heal the frustration and hurt for most of us but for many it is becoming the avenue to vent out their anger and some of them are not hesitating to go to the extreme.
In the past two weeks, Delhi witnessed several cases of murder where one member of a family turned against the others.
Psychologists blame it on the increasing impulsive behaviour and frustration in the face of growing restlessness at the one's inability to stand up to his/her problems.
They also said that break-neck work schedules and deadlines at the work place coupled with the family-related stress may prove catastrophic to the concept of family in metropolitan cities like Delhi.
Dr Arti Anand, clinical psychologist, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, said the number of patients disturbed by family issues has increased considerably over a period of two-three months.
"Cases of murders committed by victims' family members are shooting up because frustration relating to family and impulsive nature is increasingly driving people to contemplate a step as extreme as murder," Arti said.u00a0u00a0
Generally, these crimes are committed in a fit of rage, according to Dr Shalini Anant, clinical psychologist at the Sanjeevani Nursing home, Darya Ganj.
"Every person has some expectations from his blood relatives but when they don't live up to them, it proves disastrous for emotionally vulnerable people.u00a0
"Such people tend to lose their calm very easily and don't hesitate to harm even their relatives. When frustration reaches the highest level, it can easily drive someone to commit any crime," Dr Shaliniu00a0 said.
She also pointed out that in some cases the seeds of unrest are sown in the early age. Children usually have lot of expectations from their parents and when these are not fulfilled, frustration and intolerance towards failure increases with age, the psychologist added.
May 29, 2009:u00a0 Kiran Kapoor, a 55-year-old woman in Paschim Vihar was brutally stabbed to death by her daughter and the girl's boyfriend, who had apparently panicked on being caught together in the house and killed her. According to police, Sakshi, 26, had a grudge against her parents because they objected to her relationship with the boy named Sunny Batra.u00a0
June 8, 2009: Ravindra Verma, a 37-year-old truck driver, allegedly killed his five children three daughters and two sons with a grinding stone. He also allegedly critically injured his wife before trying to commit suicide by slashing his wrist. According to family members, Verma was violent by nature and was suffering from depression.
June 13, 2009: Raghubir Singh, a 65-year-old a retired clerk with Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) was killed allegedly by his son at his residence in Outer Delhi's Alipur area over the elderly man's alleged "extra marital affair".
