Aruna Shanbaug Case

Raped November 27, 1973

On June 1 this year, Aruna Shanbaug will turn 58. But she'll never know that, just as she has remained oblivious to all her birthdays since November 27, 1973.

On that day, 25-year-old Aruna, then a nurse working at Mumbai's KEM hospital, was attacked by a ward boy Sohanlal Bhartha Walmiki, while she was changing clothes in the hospital basement. Walmiki first choked her with a dog collar, then raped and robbed her.

The asphyxiation cut off the oxygen supply to her brain. As a result, she has become cortically blind her eyes can see but her brain does not register the images.

She was also diagnosed with brain stem contusion injury and cervical cord injury. She cannot speak, emote, use her limbs or control her muscles. For 33 years, she's been living a vegetative existence on a bed in KEM hospital.

Walmiki was convicted but while Aruna is serving a life sentence, he served a mere six years in jail. Journalist and writer Pinki Virani, who has written a book on 'Aruna's Story', says, "The worst part: he was not sentenced for rape because he had not committed the rape vaginally; it was anal.

The examination of Aruna, when she was found the next morning, was done with what is called the finger test ingers inserted into vagina to check virginity she still was; so that was that." At the time, Aruna was engaged to a junior doctor at the hospital.

The then hospital dean chose not to report the anal rape to the police in order to spare the couple the public disclosure. The fiance was also discouraged from being a complainant. Instead, a sub-inspector became the complainant because no one else was willing.

The judgment against the rapist noted "that the victim was menstruating and the accused had gone there with the intention to rape". But as Bhartha was not charged with rape, he was convicted only for attempt to murder and robbery.

He was sentenced to seven years, which was reduced to six because he had already served a year in lock-up.

After his release, Walmiki reportedly moved to Delhi. But Aruna has remained in a twilight zone. She needs to be fed (mashed food), turned over once in a while, cleaned

she can do nothing on her own. Says Virani, "'She does not need any medicines or even nurses. There's just an ayah." And no one else.

Aruna's family asked for financial compensation and an apartment. They were refused and that's when they abandoned her. Her fiance remained devoted to her till his marriage a few years later.

Says Virani, "Aruna was actually quite an ambitious girl. She had found a nice man, planned on a home, kids as well as a consultancy or a nursing home with her husband. Now, there's no hope of her recovery."

ref: TOI