THE INFAMOUS TEEN
Calling her that, won't be odd!
Aarushi Talwar - the teen kid who was bludgeoned to death in a mystery that took the whole nation as well as the parents sleeping next door by shock. Yes, we all know her and yet we don't.... Some of us still think it was her 'character' that she had to pay for... the 14 year old... Oh dear Lord, yes. At 14,when you haven't even reached your puberty properly, with a family so happy, with every demand of yours being surrendered to, with Parents who had an inter-caste marriage in the 1980s,who were those 'Cool' parents we all want to have. Yep, they can kill their only kid, and over achiever, a dancer, a loving daughter... Indeed very believable!
15th May 2008-a date the Talwars would never forget.. No matter how hard they try to..Overnight, their darling Aarushi became Media's favorite toy, Colony's big gossip, Nation's big mystery.... From her friends to her emails, everything was screaming headlines. Media had found a new TRP booster. Anything that a masala minded Indian audience would love to switch to was obligingly served on the plate by the Police and the Media. And why shouldn't it be? Journalism is all about being sold, even if it costs maligning the deceased, the innocents.
Why was Aarushi killed? Who really killed her? Had the girl seen it coming? Yes, these angles were being probed-from the househelp-owner affair to a father's illicit affair and daughter's knowledge of it, we even reached to Wife Swapping clubs! Talking of the reach of Globalization, at least at some level! Whatever the Police speculated, Media nodded. Everyday, while one channel would say "Murderer Parents", the other would say "What made Aarushi seek comfort in Hemraj?". Yes this happened. No-a focus on the changing witness statements, botched up investigations, lack of forensic samples would not have sounded this juicy, so the Media skipped... Or better put, chose to skip it.
Seven years later,
with a trial almost dropped due to lack of substantial proofs, accusations, failed petitions later, the judgement by Special Court punishes the parents. This time, no media glares, no flashes, no buzzing, no cross questioning.
Why did the Indian Media, which is forever asking questions to a celebrity's affairs to Political Leader's holidays not stand up against the insane maths of justice, the shaky investigation, the one and half month prior written judgement? A Journalist's job is to come as close to truth as possible. That's why they are called FEARLESS. That's why we rely on them to stand for us, the common people. Then how come no single eyebrow was raised?... They can change it or they can corrupt it.. Unfortunately, in the Noida Double Murder Case 2008,both the Indian Judiciary and the fourth pillar collapsed. If only they had focused on Justice like the Jessica Lal Murder, things would have been different.... For the Talwars.
Nobody lost anything. Noida Police is still strong despite their glitches that brought down a household. The Indian Media has mongered back to 'khabars'. The nation has forgotten Aarushi..
I am a Media student and that is why it disappoints me even more. Not only the Dentist couple lost their only hope of living, they have to go through the burden of being labelled as her Murderers while the real culprits might be hanging out somewhere in the country, putting yet Aarushi at stake.
