“Mumbai nurse Aruna Shanbaug, in coma since brutal 1973 rape, is dead.”

I fought back my tears as I read this headlines today. I was not sure if I was to feel sad over her death, or happy that her 43-year-old ordeal was finally over!!

25-year-old Aruna Shanbaug was sexually assaulted on the night of 27 November 1973, by Sohanlal Bhartha Walmiki, a sweeper on contract at the King Edward Memorial (KEM) Hospital, in Mumbai. Sohanlal attacked her while she was changing clothes in the hospital basement. He choked her with a dog chain and sodomized her. The asphyxiation cut off oxygen supply to her brain, resulting in brain stem contusion injury and cervical cord injury apart from leaving her cortically blind.

Unable to speak or walk or have control over body movements, Aruna Shanbaug entered a permanent vegetative state. She was incurable. In a permanently vegetative state patients seldom enjoy, favorite foods, music, and people. It also doesn’t allow for them to smile in response to an external influence.  She has remained in this state for the past 43 years, in KEM Hospital, becoming the world’s oldest comatose patient. She knew not what the world was outside.

Source: The Telegraph

The police case was registered as a case of robbery and attempted murder on account of the concealment of anal rape by the doctors under the instructions of the Dean of KEM, Dr. Deshpande, perhaps to avoid the social rejection of the victim, and her impending marriage. Sohanlal was caught and convicted, and served two concurrent seven-year sentences for assault and robbery, neither for rape or sexual molestation, nor for the “unnatural sexual offence” (which could have got him a ten-year sentence by itself).

On a petition filed by author Pinky Virani for euthanasia, the Supreme Court turned down the mercy killing petition on 7 March 2011. The court, in its landmark judgment, however allowed passive euthanasia in India. While rejecting Pinki Virani’s plea for Aruna Shanbaug’s euthanasia, the court laid out guidelines for passive euthanasia. According to these guidelines, passive euthanasia involves the withdrawing of treatment or food that would allow the patient to live.

The nursing staff at the hospital, who had opposed the petition, and who had been looking after her since she had lapsed into coma, distributed sweets and cut a cake to celebrate what they termed her “rebirth”. A senior nurse at the hospital later said, “We have to tend to her just like a small child at home. She only keeps aging like any of us, does not create any problems for us. We take turns looking after her and we love to care for her. How can anybody think of taking her life?”

Aruna’s family abandoned her after the rape when the hospital started insisting that they take her home.

This is not just a story… Not just another tale of pain….It raises some valid questions.

1) Has our judicial system improved in terms of delivering justice to the rape victim?

2) Rape victims still face a whole lot of social stigma, do we have a system in place for this? There are still families in smaller towns, which either disown the victim or worse, get them married to the rapist!

 All I can say for now is kudos to the team of KEM. Rest in Peace Aruna.