Residents stage protest against rapes and murders in India

Shivamogga, 22 Apr 2018 [Fik/News Sources]: A candlelight vigil demanding justice for the eight-year-old girl raped and murdered in Kathua and the teenaged rape victim from Unnao, saw hundreds of citizens, mostly women, turn up near 'Patrika Bhavan', on the evening of April 21. The silent protest continued for some time before the organisers spoke out, demanding that action be taken against perpetrators of rape and those supporting the rapists in both the cases.

"This is an important protest. The people of Shivamogga are here irrespective of caste and creed to condemn the heinous crimes and demand for justice," said K P Shripal, the chief organizer of the silent vigil.

It is very disturbing to see that one section of the society with a particular ideology are involved in such crimes and support the perpetrators. We need to condemn this, said Gurumurthy, the state president of Dalit Sangarsha Samiti (DSS).

Manjunath, the president of Shimoga Press Trust insisted that all should unite and fight for justice. Fr. Veeresh V Moras, the Public Relations Officer of Shimoga Diocese recited a Kannada poem which vividly depicted the present scenario in India.

Veeresh of Raitha Sangha, Fr. Ronald Veigas and Fr. Lawrence Dsouza of Shimoga Diocese, a large number of nuns from St. Charles and Mary Immaculate convents, hundreds of members of various progressive unions of Shivamogga, students of Nirmala Nursing College Bhadravathi, members of Streebandhu Souharda Cooperative, staff of Chaitanya-SMSSS (Shimoga Multipurpose Social Service Society(R)) and hundreds of citizens of good will were present.