@Calamur thanks for saying it out loud. The media coverage of this case has been gory, unnessarily detailed and completely insensitive. With little regard or respect for her family and friends who are probably still in shock and severely traumatised by this ordeal.

I came across a video of the media trying to chase after one of her friends for an interview while he ran away from them. This on a busy street in Mumbai (I think). A pack of 10 men with cameras and mics running after and trying to get hold of the victims friend.

Also, a sudden spike in the number of such "boyfriend/ex/husband/stalker" kills woman type copy cat cases. The Indian media really needs some lessons on how to cover such gruesome murders. It's honestly quite disturbing to watch.

To add to what you said about how this case fits the Hindu Muslim narrative, yes it does, but I don't think it's just that. I read about a woman/labourer from Bihar being killed by her muslim stalker in Chandigarh, which did not recieve the sort of coverage this case has.

For the English speaking lot, as you rightly pointed, we have all seen such relationships around us - where women normalise and internalise being treated like shit; and where mental health issues are largely brushed under the carpet (still). This case hit a nerve for a lot of us - why would an educated and financially independent woman continue to remain in a bad situation? We have however seen this happen several times before in our social circles and we have discussed this endlessly among ourselves.

For the RW however, Shraddha is the poster child for "mummy papa ki baat nahi maanogi toh aisa hi hoga". She is the typical modern liberal woman from a Hindu family, moving away from the trappings of purely religious values. Lips pierced, short hair, wears western clothes, chooses to live life on her own terms and financially independent. It's the sort of behaviour in women that scares a lot of people. Especially considering how many Indian women are more and more 'westernised', opinionated and vocal. It's also the 'your opinions and independent thinking can get you killed' narrative.

I read an article about how an investigation team was sent to Himachal Pradesh to investigate where she had smoked up while she was there on a holiday - presumably to give us a microscopic overview of her 'westernised lifestyle'. I've even come across comments of SM from RW Indian men commenting and implying how happy they were this had happened to her, because this should teach such women a lesson.

I feel as a society our interests peak when such incidents happen to the modern, westernised, English speaking lot. For the same reason the death of Cyrus Mistry brought about a 'compulsory seat belt for the rear seat passengers' rule or the Arushi murder case garnered that much interest.

#mastindia #shraddhawalkar #murder #delhi #india