A former DGP of Karnataka Police has been at the receiving end for making creepy, sexist remarks against Asha Devi, mother of the December 16 gangrape and murder victim, popularly known as Nirbhaya.
At a function held recently in Bengaluru, H.T. Sangliana, commented on Nirbhaya's mother's "great physique". "I see Nirbhaya's mother, she has such a good physique. I can just imagine how beautiful Nirbhaya would have been," Sangliana was qouted by the media.
The former top cop, who was also an MP from North Bengaluru in the 14th Lok Sabha, went ahead and imparted a few 'tips' to a predominantly women crowd. "If you are overpowered, you should surrender, and follow up the case later. That way we can be safe, save life, prevent being killed," Sangliana said, much to the shock of the audience.
Ironically, the function was organised to honour women achievers in the country, including Devi and Karnataka IPS officer D Roopa Moudgil, among others. However, Devi did not respond to Sangliana's comments in the function. On the other hand, the incident led to widespread backlash on social media as netizens hit back at the former cop for his insensitive comments.
Five years after the brutal rape and murder of Nirbhaya, Devi had recently said she still lives in the pain of losing her daughter. "Not a single day passes without thinking about the gruesome pain my daughter had to go through," she had said.
"Even after five years, her (Nirbhaya) culprits are alive. If justice isn't served on time, people cease to be scared of law. A strong law needs to be formulated and mind set of everyone, be it a politician or a common man, needs to be changed," Devi had said on the fifth anniversary of the incident in December 2017.