Comatose Aruna Shanbaug Passes Away 42 Years After She Was Brutishly Raped
BANGALORE: Aruna Shanbaug who worked as a nurse, finally gave up after being in the vegetative state for 42 long years. Shanbaug, a victim of a brutal sexual assault had passed away today (April 18) at KEM Hospital in Mumbai, reports HT. Her case had been the cornerstone In India’s quest for an active Euthanasia law.
Since her brutal rape in 1973, Shanbaug had been a comatose patient for four long decades. The 67-year old had developed pneumonia 6 days prior to her death and had been put on ventilator support a week ago.
Reportedly, she was held back by metal chains tied around her neck and back and was sodomized by a KEM hospital cleaner on November 27, 1973. By the time, when she was recovered next day, her brain was damaged as the chains prevented oxygen from reaching to the brain. However, she lived to narrate the horrific tale. She was forcefully fed twice a day and could not move for the rest of her life.
Shanbaug didn’t have many visitors other than her sister, Shanta Nayek who lately passed away (September 2013).
Since then nobodypaid her a visit. All these years she was attended by nurses.
Pinki Virani had filed a petition for mercy killing of Shanbaug which was rejected by the Supreme Court in 2011. This case had triggered the debate on laws for euthanasia followed in India in the past and now her death would yet again re-trigger the issue.
As her medical reports after the rape were altered by an official which stated that Shanbaug was sodomized and not ‘raped’. The rapist, Valmiki, was convicted of robbery and attempt to murder and was sentenced seven years of imprisonment.
According to Indian Penal Code, sodomy does not amount to rape.
