Pune techie murder: Who is to blame for Rasila’s death?
- K Rasila Raju, an employee of Infosys, Pune, was allegedly strangled with a computer wire and was hit hard on the face.
- This incident also highlights, how that despite there being rules regarding the presence of women alone in an office/floor, none are being followed.
FollowRasila was all alone in the vast campus without proper security. In the name of security, she had to put up with the same security guard, Bhaben Saikia, whom she had complained about previously. He had reportedly disturbed her by leering and passing comments at her. Saikia was arrested from CST station, Mumbai, later on after the murder. He is suspected to have committed the murder by allegedly strangling her with a computer cable.
It is surprising that in such a big campus like Infosys in Pune, only one guard was available. Also, was it work pressure that forced Rasila to work on a Sunday in office, while the rest of her colleagues enjoyed a day off? Surely, Rasila’s managers could have waited for another day. This incident also highlights, how that despite there being rules regarding the presence of women alone in an office/floor, none are being followed. Not in Infosys, not anywhere else either.
Unfortunately, this is the second murder of a female IT professional in Pune in two months. Last year in December, 23-year-old Antara Das, was stabbed to death while returning home from work. Clearly, we have lessons to learn. Women’s safety has become a burning issue in India, one that gets brushed under the carpet daily and only when an incident like Nirbhaya or Rasila happens do our collective voices rise, condemn and then go back to silence.
According to a news agency, the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Pune has been quoted as saying "The accused Bhaben Saikia's behaviour had made Rasila uncomfortable on an earlier occasion, and she had warned him that she would complain about him to the higher authority. On that Sunday evening, Saikia requested the victim not to complain against him."
The Deputy Commissioner also added, "When Rasila refused to back off, it led to an argument; he pulled out the computer cable and strangulated her in a fit of rage. The guard also hit her face with his shoes, injuring her nose."
After committing the crime, Saikia waited in the office until the end of his shift and later left for Mumbai.
Now the question is who to blame for this brutal crime? Is it Rasila? For coming on Sunday to the office and complaining about the guard. Or is it Rasila's immediate manager? Or the company who failed to ensure that the security staff's background had been checked thoroughly?
Rasila’s father, Raju OP, who is an ex-serviceman, was accompanied by her uncle when they came to Pune to collect her body. Both have blamed the Infosys management for the incident. Rasila's uncle accused Infosys of not taking any action against the guard, who had been making "advances" at his niece.
Along with their anger, even citizens on social media have condemned the incident and commented on the dreadful situation of women in the country. A few of them lashed out at the outsourcing giant Infosys for the lax security arrangements.
