Make an example of Kamduni rapists: Mahasweta Devi

Terming the Kamduni rape incident "horrible and disgusting", noted author Mahasweta Devi Friday said that exemplary punishment must be meted out to the perpetrators since the crime is of an extremely grave nature.

"What has happened at Kamduni is horrible and disgusting. The punishment should be exemplary since the crime is a grave one," Mahasweta Devi said.

"There is no logic as to why there should not be exemplary punishment," Mahasweta Devi added, while interacting with media persons about the forthcoming film "Swabhoomi", based on her novel "Adhoba".

"Society needs to think seriously about such serious issues," said the nonagenarian author.

Directed by Ujjwal Chatterjee, the movie, a socio-political thriller, is the celluloid adaptation of Mahasweta Devi's book centred on the anti-land acquisition movement of 2006-2007 in East Midnapore district's Nandigram.

The Magsaysay Award recipient feels that instances of rape in Coochbehar and Kamduni have similar overtones, and have been occurring time and again.

"There are many aspects of their lives where women feel insecure. But now they are becoming self-assertive and fighting for their own security," she said.

She believes that women should become more assertive about their safety to bring about a change.

A second-year college student was abducted, raped and killed by a group of young men June 7, while she was returning home after appearing for an examination in Kamduni village in Barasat in North 24-Parganas district.

Eight people have been arrested for the crime.