Bombay HC acquits rape accused in POCSO case, says girl would be ‘terrified’, not ‘act normal’
Mumbai: The Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court has sparked controversy with its recent verdict, acquitting a 64-year-old man accused of raping an eight-year-old girl. The court cited that the victim's behavior was not consistent with that of a rape survivor, stating that a minor girl subjected to sexual assault would normally be "terrified" and not "act normal and play."
The case dates back to March 2019, when the accused, Vijay Javanjal, allegedly lured the victim with sweets and touched her inappropriately. The victim's mother complained to the police after her daughter reported the incident, stating that Javanjal was sitting next to her daughter while she was playing.
However, the court questioned the authenticity of the victim's testimony, noting that she continued to play after the alleged assault and only reported it to her mother after returning from school. Justice Govinda Sanap stated that if the accused had committed the act, it would have caused fear, pain, and shock to the girl, prompting her to run away and claim shock to her mother.
The court's decision has raised concerns about its understanding of trauma and victim behavior. Critics argue that the verdict perpetuates harmful stereotypes about how victims should react to sexual assault, ignoring the complexities of trauma and individual responses.
Javanjal was initially sentenced to 20 years rigorous imprisonment under the POCSO Act and Section 376AB of the Indian Penal Code by the trial court. The High Court's acquittal has sparked outrage, with many calling for a review of the verdict.
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Neeraj Chopra's coach to step down, ending successful partnership to be with family
The 75-year-old coach Klaus Bartonietz and Olympic gold medallist Neeraj Chopra of India, a legendary German-Indian combination, are about to part ways as the former feels it's time to spend more time with his family in his native country. After the current season, Bartonietz, who helped Chopra make history by winning an Olympic gold medal, two World Championship medals, and an Asian Games gold, will be leaving.
Bartonietz originally became a part of the Indian athletics team as a biomechanic in 2019 and later served as a coach to Chopra when Uwe Hohn had a dispute with the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) and the Sports Authority of India. Even though Bartonietz was not keen on remaining as a coach until 2021 because he has crossed the age of sixty, he accepted to be a part of it for another term at the insistence of the AFI. However, as he approaches his 76th birthday, he has made the decision to eventually retire and return to his hometown in the middle of October.
"Coach Klaus Bartonietz won’t continue with Neeraj Chopra or the Indian athletics team after this season. He wants to spend more time with his family," stated AFI chief coach Radhakrishnan Nair. Up until May 2022, he instructed javelin coaches and trained other athletes in the sport. Although he hasn't made up his mind, we had hoped he would continue to coach young athletes."
At training camps and major tournaments, Bartonietz has always supported Chopra by offering great technical advice and support for the mental domain. Bartonietz once stated about Chopra, "He is a very hard worker and mentally tough." Neeraj is as aware of his body and the situation as a Formula One driver is of every detail of their vehicle."
Bartonietz has essentially been instrumental in India's winning a myriad of laurels globally with Indian athletes, and his association with Chopra has been pivotal to the amplification of Indian athletics, not only on the domestic circuit but at the world level as well. With Bartonietz leaving, the onus will be on the future for the AFI, but the German coach's outstanding inputs to India's javelin program shall live to be remembered.
