Opinion - Letters to the Editor   

Appalling apathy

The report "Distraught father relates his tale of woe" (Jan. 4) on how Nandlal of Nithari village in Noida was made to run from pillar to post to file a report with the police about his missing daughter Payal last year is shocking. It exposes the ground realities in our much-hyped democracy, where a helpless father got no help to trace his missing daughter.

The media, which covered the kidnap of Adobe executive Naresh Gupta's three-year-old son for days together, also failed to highlight the plight of the aggrieved Nandlal. The Noida killings are a shame on the nation.

J.N. Mahanty,
Puri

The distraught father's account throws light on the callous attitude of the police. Powerful elements bent on preventing proper investigation seem to be involved in the shameful episode. The culprits should be punished severely. The bereaved families cannot be consoled with lukewarm responses.

K.D. Viswanaathan,
Coimbatore

There is no doubt that police indifference is largely to blame for the tragedy. Another reason why the murders continued to take place was that the victims were economically backward, underprivileged, and perhaps completely unaware of how to go about seeking help.

The MP and MLA of Noida are also accountable. They should have done more than just making representations to the police and administration. The NGOs and activists who have now sprung into action could have helped by leading protests and dharnas when there was still time.

P.C. Balkumar,
Chennai

Though the police's apathy amounts to dereliction of duty, how much can one blame them given that even the neighbours of Moninder Singh Pandher did not suspect any foul play in his house?

C.G. Senthilkumar,
Davis, California

The actions attributed to Pandher and Kohli are savage barbarism of perverted minds. It has now been revealed that the police let off the two men after interrogating them in August 2006 in connection with Payal's case. If found guilty, the culprits should be given the most stringent punishment and the policemen who protected them all these days by their inaction put behind bars for life.

B.R. Haran,
Chennai

The gruesome murder of the children has sent shockwaves across the country. People who advocate the abolition of capital punishment should sense the agony of the parents. The culprits should not be allowed to exploit legal loopholes and escape stringent punishment. Criminals who commit mass murder deserve no sympathy.

N. Ramakrishnan,
Richards Bay, South Africa

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