Since that fateful night of May 15 when the gruesome Noida double murder took place, life has not been the same again for millions of Indians. We have gone through a myriad of feelings - confusion, fear, anger and hatred - only to find that the Aarushi murder case has taken its toll on an entire generation of young adults.
Unlike other routine crime reports quickly scanned and readily forgotten, the shocking murder of the Noida teenager has been closely followed by people from every age group and every walk of life. Aarushi gets closer to us with every passing day, so much so that a Facebook community, created by her friends, has now more than 14,000 members - all expressing their feelings and showing their camaraderie on the Web. Aarushi does not fade into oblivion because the gradually unfolding story behind the murder has shaken the very basis of social structure and the core of family sanctity. Aarushi remains a pointer to a generation whose innocence is lost in a maze of harsh realities.
Breach of basic trust?
Eleven-year-old Raka Shahani (not her real name) had kept close tabs on the Aarushi case and often asked her mother whether parents could really kill their children. An introvert by nature, the fifth-grader soon started to avoid her friends/relatives and insisted on locking herself in her room as soon as she reached home. Alarmed by the sudden change in behaviour, Raka's mother sought medical advice and found out that the hypersensitive pre-teen was suffering from acute paranoia.
Although Raka's case is an exceptional one, children today are certainly worried and disturbed as is apparent from the attitude of Sonali Srivastava. The 16-year-old openly condemns the family's apathy (even if it is an outside job, how is it possible for next-room people to be totally unaware) and even targets her parents at times. "Parents often pose as our well-wishers but how would you explain the Noida incident," a defiant Sonali asks.
Mumbai teenager Aatreyo Kumar echoes her sentiments and expresses his shock. "I love my parents but this is just too shattering," he admits. "I am at a loss to understand what has happened and how it has happened Won't our home be safe any more even if our parents are there?"
How parents are coping?
"These are difficult questions asked by baffled youngsters but these cannot be summarily dismissed," feels Poonam R. Rathore, a teacher by profession and a mother of two. The Aarushi case has become a familiar topic of discussion at her household as her pre-teen son and teenage daughter try to cope with the harsh reality.
But unlike other parents who unsuccessfully try to blank out the entire incident, Poonam is all for an open discussion. "Parents should try and guide their kids instead of hiding such things. These are testing times for our children and only a heart-to-heart talk can bring things back to normal," she asserts.
Unlike other routine crime reports quickly scanned and readily forgotten, the shocking murder of the Noida teenager has been closely followed by people from every age group and every walk of life. Aarushi gets closer to us with every passing day, so much so that a Facebook community, created by her friends, has now more than 14,000 members - all expressing their feelings and showing their camaraderie on the Web. Aarushi does not fade into oblivion because the gradually unfolding story behind the murder has shaken the very basis of social structure and the core of family sanctity. Aarushi remains a pointer to a generation whose innocence is lost in a maze of harsh realities.
Breach of basic trust?
Eleven-year-old Raka Shahani (not her real name) had kept close tabs on the Aarushi case and often asked her mother whether parents could really kill their children. An introvert by nature, the fifth-grader soon started to avoid her friends/relatives and insisted on locking herself in her room as soon as she reached home. Alarmed by the sudden change in behaviour, Raka's mother sought medical advice and found out that the hypersensitive pre-teen was suffering from acute paranoia.
Although Raka's case is an exceptional one, children today are certainly worried and disturbed as is apparent from the attitude of Sonali Srivastava. The 16-year-old openly condemns the family's apathy (even if it is an outside job, how is it possible for next-room people to be totally unaware) and even targets her parents at times. "Parents often pose as our well-wishers but how would you explain the Noida incident," a defiant Sonali asks.
Mumbai teenager Aatreyo Kumar echoes her sentiments and expresses his shock. "I love my parents but this is just too shattering," he admits. "I am at a loss to understand what has happened and how it has happened Won't our home be safe any more even if our parents are there?"
How parents are coping?
"These are difficult questions asked by baffled youngsters but these cannot be summarily dismissed," feels Poonam R. Rathore, a teacher by profession and a mother of two. The Aarushi case has become a familiar topic of discussion at her household as her pre-teen son and teenage daughter try to cope with the harsh reality.
But unlike other parents who unsuccessfully try to blank out the entire incident, Poonam is all for an open discussion. "Parents should try and guide their kids instead of hiding such things. These are testing times for our children and only a heart-to-heart talk can bring things back to normal," she asserts.
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