Why did “Dhanu” assassinate “Rajiv”? A Behavioural Post Mortem !!!!

Why did “Dhanu” assasinate “Rajiv”? Did she have any personal enmity or grievance against Rajiv? Does her Personality profile reveal any capability of committing such a heinous crime? As far as my knowledge as a Criminologist goes, the answer is no. Well, what’s it that prompted in situ, this woman, to commit such a horrendous crime? One would wind up this discussion coldly and superficially, saying she was part of an organization now banned in India.

Crimes committed by women across the globe hover anywhere between 3.0 to 20.0% according to a world statistical outfit. Why then, would an unsuspecting woman of her caliber, do such a thing? One would dare refute the vehemency with which she ripped up the face of the most charismatic leader of the world. Police and the Press reported the motive behind her assassination, to her victimization by the IPKF and subsequent induction into the organization.

If we were to go by the reports, then in that case, how could a victim of rape, indulge in such a crime. Prolonged victimization or secondary victimization or perception of being subjected to victimization could lead a person to commit a crime. This is what we call the “Cycle of Violence” in Criminology. It has two connotations. One is that the person is subjected to repeated victimization and the other is that a subsequent criminal behaviour follows suit. If one would ask this question, ‘do all persons subjected to repeated victimization commit crime?’ Then the answer is definitely a NO! The inbuilt coping mechanisms of a human psyche - responds to extraordinary stress by restoring normalcy through various defence mechanisms. If not, it exhibits as OCD or PTSD and in extreme cases to cycle of violence.

However, if at the stage of convalescence, when the person is emotionally vulnerable and he or she is subjected to repeated brain washing by an individual or organization, their ability to seek revenge increases. Value systems and cultural taboos are “add ons” to this revenge. This is precisely what seemed to have happened in Dhanu’s case. It is thus imperative for us, to learn from this costly mistake, that it is essential to treat victims better for a different reason too, to nip future crime in the bud. The offence of “Trafficking” a 12 billion dollar industry, is trying to seek first place in the world crime scenario. “Traffickers” are perpetrators of this crime, who were once victims too. It is therefore essential, that we and the law enforcement agency, focus more on victims for two obvious reasons; prevent future victimization and criminalization appropriately.

- Dr.P.T. Uma Maheswari