I used to tell my wife
that we were going to have a girl.
She'd say, "No, I'm going to have a son."
So, my wish was granted
and I was very happy.
I'd leave for work early in the morning
and return late in the evening.
From the time I got home
until the next morning,
she was by my side.
She was our first child,
so I've spoiled her.
The amount of love I gave her,
I wasn't able to give any other child.
I think she's received all my love,
and there's nothing left for anyone else.
As her father, I deeply regret
that I didn't protect her.
I feel I wasn't vigilant enough,
and so this happened.
All other days when she'd go out,
I'd tell her how long she could play for,
and what time to be home.
But that day I didn't tell her,
and that's my mistake.
That's what I regret most.
Every day I told her
and that day I didn't.
News of a g*ng r*pe
has surfaced once again.
And once again, this heinous act
has shocked the public.
Last night,
in the Bero district of Jharkhand,
a 13-year-old girl was g*ng-r*ped.
The incident happened
while the girl was taking part
in wedding celebrations close to home.
The three accused
have been arrested by the police,
and the child victim is at her home.
The rate at which reports of v*olence
against women keep coming in,
it's time we ask ourselves,
is there something
fundamentally wrong with our country?
It was the night of my nephew's wedding.
We all worked together on the wedding,
helping with anything that was needed.
So
After dancing, around 10:00 p.m., we left.
We came home to sleep.
I woke up suddenly, around 1:00 a.m.
When I woke,
I felt very uneasy about something.
Just then, my youngest son woke up,
he needed to use the bathroom.
When I was taking him,
I saw that our door was unlocked.
The latch wasn't fastened.
And that's when I realized
she wasn't home yet.
I worried about where she could be.
Somewhere between 1:30 and 1:45 a.m.,
I saw her coming down the road.
When she got near the house,
she stumbled and fell.
We were very scared.
We gave her some water.
After she calmed down,
she started to talk.
And she told us everything.
I asked her, "Who r*ped you?"
She said first Kapil,
and then Langru, and then Ishwar.
In the morning we filed the case.
The police tracked their phones
and caught them,
and took them to the station.
Did anyone go with you for support?
No, nobody.
-You went by yourself?
-I went by myself.
We have a ward member for our village,
I called him that night for advice.
He told me,
"Go to the police station,
and I'll bring
the mukhiya, district chief."
So did he help you when he got there?
Help?
No, he sided with the boys.
He said, since there were three of them,
I should marry her to one of them.
And I said--
Marry one of them?
Yes, he wanted me
to marry her to one of them.
And I refused.
I can't even imagine the idea of marriage.
The r*pe was so violent,
it caused internal injury.
Whenever I look at her, I start to cry.
She's traumatized and barely speaks.
I try to console her.
We care for her like we did
when she was a small child.
After what they've done,
we have to fight back.
They b*at and r*ped a child.
RAJIV GANDHI HELP CENTER
PANCHAYAT SECRETARIAT - ETTA, BERO, RANCHI
You came to the village
and talked about compromise.
So I want to know from you,
they did wrong,
so you should be supporting us,
but you're supporting them.
And I want to know why.
Who've you been talking to?
A lot of people are saying it.
Did you ask me?
No--
People can talk all they want,
but did you ask me
what I have to say about it?
You never asked.
But why should we compromise?
I never told you to compromise.
What I said is, this is a village matter.
From my side,
I'm saying you should think about it.
This isn't up for discussion.
They already k*lled a woman
they accused of being a witch.
Which was a lie.
Whether you believe it or not.
They accused her of being a witch,
and they k*lled her in the woods.
And now they do this.
And still people want us to support them.
How can that be?
Look, what's done is done.
Right?
If you go ahead with the case,
we won't stop you.
When the villagers talked about marriage,
we thought, that's a possibility.
This is what the people
from your village proposed.
Did they not?
What you decide is up to you.
But think before you act.
You belong to a community,
so figure out how to remain part of it.
For your own protection,
really think about that.
-You spoke with the father of the girl?
-Yes.
The girl's only 13 years old.
The mukhiya is taking the boys' side.
"Don't report the case,
marry her to one of the boys instead."
In a criminal case,
the mukhiya can't make any decisions.
He has no right to make these decisions.
Small disputes,
he has the power to intervene,
but m*rder, r*pe,
to call someone a witch and m*rder her,
in these matters,
the mukhiya cannot intervene.
He has to take it to the police.
How can they even suggest
she marry a man who r*ped her?
It makes no sense.
There will always be those who think
it should be settled within the village.
Otherwise the girl will never get married,
the family loses honor,
the village loses honor
If they get justice,
this can be a game changer.
A father fighting for his daughter
in a r*pe case this is no small thing.
It never happens, it's very rare.
This is no ordinary family
that has chosen to fight this.
But our fight isn't just
with the village leadership.
This thinking is shared
by many people in the village.
We have to k*ll this way of thinking.
Whatever v*olence is done against women,
be it harassment or r*pe,
the perpetrator is always a man.
Up until ten years ago,
whatever attempts were made to change this
were aimed at women.
Everyone thought we could empower women
teach them to take a stand,
and that would end the discrimination
and v*olence against them.
But that didn't happen.
What happened was a rise
in the incidents of v*olence against them.
So we realized that working
with women wasn't enough.
We need to work with men.
What are we going to learn today?
What will you teach us, tell me?
I found out recently that a girl
in this village was g*ng-r*ped.
How many of you men stood up in anger?
And if none, why not?
If people are quiet, why are they quiet?
I travel to lots of villages.
People always say,
"This is a village matter,
we'll settle it internally."
But on whose terms?
In my opinion, if the father
has taken this to the courts,
then he's done the right thing.
Are girls born just waiting to be r*ped
and then forced to marry?
Do they not have lives of their own?
Their own desires?
Or do they just want to be puppets
that belong to men?
Shouldn't we be teaching
the boys of this village,
that this is v*olence and it's wrong?
And if it happens again,
we'll raise our voices against it,
even if it's my own brother.
We need to build support
for people like you
who speak out against these things,
because when there's opposition,
you need people standing with you.
Yeah, you need that.
I really like the position you've taken,
that's why I'm with you.
Because you've taken this to the courts.
And that's really important
in times like these.
-Shall we go?
-Yes, sir.
-Okay, see you.
-Okay.
There are men in the village,
who talk openly about what happened
to my daughter, to mock me.
As her father, I'm blamed
for not protecting her honor.
I mean, they r*ped my daughter,
but they shamed me.
Because
I'm the head of our house.
Put yourself in my shoes,
if I wallow in the shame
If I just swallow it,
and keep it inside,
and someone finds out
about it later and asks me about it,
I won't be able to hold my head up.
I'd have to hang it down.
And if I stay quiet,
I'll be filled with resentment,
suffocating on the inside.
And if I do nothing,
I'll never be able to face those men.
I'll look at them, filled with rage,
unable to hurt them
or do anything about it.
Please don't be late.
-That's okay. No problem.
-That's why I'm saying this.
Okay?
I can't say.
I'll find out and let you know.
I'm just reminding you, sir
You guys wanted this letter,
but I'm in court all day,
and can't get it done.
Hey, brother?
Are you getting someone hanged?
No, not hanging anyone.
There are three accused.
The testimonies will begin
after the charges are framed.
It's my job to fight for the girls
who fall under the POCSO Act.
How many cases are you working?
Me?
I must be dealing with 500 of them.
Must be about 400 or 500.
That's why I'm so busy.
I'll be back.
Turn the fan on, it's really hot.
Your case is in good hands.
He'll get you justice.
When did the prosecutor ask you to come?
He said he'd let me know.
Did you get his phone number?
No, but he took mine and said
he'd call when he needs me.
Okay.
This map shows the area
where the wedding took place.
So from here they took her
to this other spot.
Right? So it all started here, right?
That's why the police investigated
both sites and drew these maps.
This is the medical report
that was submitted.
-With signatures.
-Signed by all three doctors.
Legally, her testimony is already entered.
-The girl's?
-Yes.
-But she'll have to testify in court.
-She has to testify again.
Whatever she stated here
needs to be repeated, remember that.
She needs to remember what she said.
Yes, we have to support this completely.
Langru Munda is actually my nephew.
He's family.
Our fathers were brothers.
When there's a wedding
in the family, everyone goes.
If you can't go, then you send your kids,
so they can enjoy the celebrations.
That's why I left her there.
But they didn't let her leave.
-Greetings.
-Greetings.
-My name is Pushpa. You know Amit?
-Yes.
I work in the same office as Amit.
I'd like to speak to your daughter.
-You're very strong. No issues in school?
-No.
Is anyone bothering you?
No.
Teachers, principal,
other children, nobody bothers you?
-No.
-All good?
-No problem with your studies?
-No.
The moment something happens, let us know.
If not me, then you know Amit
who came earlier?
You can tell him too.
-Do the girls in the village talk to you?
-No.
-You don't leave the house?
-No.
Why not?
Listen First you stop crying,
okay? All right?
None of this is your fault.
It's okay, you've done nothing wrong.
And what you did,
going to the police
and giving your statement is very brave.
The boys who did this
deserve to be punished, right?
-Yes.
-You've done nothing wrong, have you?
Look at me.
Don't cry, okay?
Yes.
Now tell me, when they dragged you away
-Yes.
-who else was there?
-Nobody.
-It was just the three of them?
Yes.
If it was just them, then why not go home?
I was, I was going home with my friends.
I was trying to leave,
and they said I should stay.
I asked why, and they said,
"Stay a little longer."
I said, "Everyone is leaving,
why should I stay?"
But they insisted I stay.
They grabbed my hair, covered my mouth,
and dragged me away.
They covered your mouth,
but you must have tried screaming?
Yes.
Are you absolutely sure
nobody saw anything?
There could have been someone,
think carefully.
There was nobody.
Okay.
The clothes she wore that day,
you took them
to the station the next morning?
-Yes.
-Where are they now?
Still there.
And all the medical checks were done?
Yes, medical checks were done.
Have the police called you since?
-No.
-Nothing yet?
-No, nothing yet.
-The boys are in custody?
Yes, all three.
Any other problems
in the village or elsewhere?
Not really.
Just that no one's talking to us.
I see.
-Okay, we'll meet again soon.
-Okay.
Girls like you deserve a hug.
-Don't cry, okay?
-Okay.
All right.
We need to find out if anyone
saw anything, and what they think.
And if they aren't talking,
how do they feel?
Hello to all of you sisters.
Can we speak to you briefly?
You know the incident in your village,
in which a 13-year-old girl was r*ped.
The family says no one
in the village is talking to them.
So I want to ask you,
was this the girl's fault in any way?
Yes or no?
Everyone was asleep at home,
how can we know?
-All right. But--
-We can't say for sure.
The case has gone to the courts.
There'll be a lot of talk, and they'll
decide who's right, who's wrong.
This could have been settled
in the village.
They already had sex,
might as well get them married.
-Would you marry her to all three?
-To one.
-And the others?
-Two are innocent, it's the one boy.
-The others did nothing?
-No.
-How do you know?
-I'm telling you I know.
I'm asking you how you know.
Ask your daughters,
"Tell me, child,
would you want to marry
the man who r*ped you?"
Will any girl say yes?
Think from that perspective.
Don't think like a typical village woman.
Not everything
can be resolved in your village.
This is a crime.
It's against the law to r*pe or m*rder.
But marriage is the only solution.
Her house has been shamed by that boy,
so how can having him
marry her be a bad thing?
Then every boy
in the village who likes a girl
will r*pe her so he can marry her.
Look, she can't marry another man now.
She has to marry him.
For me, the village is very bad now.
Before it was really good,
I used to talk to everyone.
I'd joke around with everyone,
but now I don't.
"Don't be friends with her,
she's very bad." That's what they say.
Does that make you think
you're not a good girl?
When they say these things, I think,
maybe I'm a bit of a fool.
Otherwise, why would they target me?
Sometimes I think
there's something wrong with me.
After they did what they did,
they wanted to k*ll her.
They told her they would k*ll her
and dump her in a well.
I hope after what they did,
they'll never be allowed to come home.
They should stay in jail for the rest
of their lives and never come back.
That's what I hope.
We have small children,
and I'm afraid
they'll return and do something.
It's all I think about.
I'm sad that the villagers
don't seem to care about what happened.
It's like nobody
from the village wants to help us.
We'll have to do everything ourselves.
We are alone.
Do you think it's wrong
that we involved the police?
No.
What's the situation like now?
I'm worried about Ranjit because
I mean, he tells me
he won't drop the case,
but there's a lot of pressure
coming from the village.
You have to be alert.
Keep an eye on where he stands,
because sometimes
people can change their minds.
They can turn hostile in court and change.
If they're under a lot of pressure,
then they can also change their minds.
And get friendly with the mukhiya.
Try to find out what he's thinking.
Whenever I see the mukhiya,
I feel like he wants to avoid me.
How many times
have you met him at his home?
-I've never been to his home.
-That's my point.
These people who are "leader" types,
we have to make a point
of meeting them one-on-one.
-Make sure he doesn't turn against us.
-Right.
You have to be more
on the ball with this case.
Yes, madam, I've arrived.
How are you feeling, Ranjit?
Are you all right?
Yes, so far so good.
Yes.
Look, is that them?
Yeah, that's them.
-That's the three?
-Yeah, those three.
All the charges weren't laid yet,
there's still more to come.
We have to get the next date.
-I can take them away for now?
-Yes, take them away.
If I thought they were guilty,
I wouldn't have taken the case.
Not one independent witness,
even though there are homes near
where it supposedly happened.
If a person screams in the middle
of the night, wouldn't someone hear?
After your family and everyone left,
why did you stay alone with three boys?
You're also to blame.
She says she was
just dancing with friends.
Well, isn't that wrong too?
Why were you there after midnight?
You can't forget you're a girl.
All women have to remember that.
You, me, everyone.
This is Jharkhand, this isn't the West.
Here, I can't even trust my own son.
They say they're not guilty of any crime.
They think pleading
not guilty means they'll be released.
-They're not taking it seriously at all.
-No.
Now for the witnesses.
There's you, your wife, who else?
-The ward member.
-Ward member.
You need to meet with him.
Will he testify in favor of the accused?
No, he won't.
Have you asked him
to testify on your behalf?
He's not the kind of man
who'd do the wrong thing.
-Maybe not, but still talk to him.
-Yes.
Don't take that for granted.
In this situation,
you don't want to presume anything.
-Okay?
-Okay.
-Yes?
-Okay.
I'm the village ward member,
people elected me
to be the voice of the village.
All I know is what her parents told me.
Now they're dragging me to court
like a criminal, saying I'm a witness.
What do I know?
Why should I bother?
Talking to you, testifying in court,
there's nothing in it for me.
The village wants to heal the divisions
and live in peace again, like we used to.
The villagers are all here.
You can interview them one by one.
No problem.
There are three accused, right?
-We brought all three.
-They're the fathers?
-Yes, the fathers.
-Okay.
We brought all three.
Sir, you're one of the fathers?
I'd like to ask you a question.
What do you want to happen?
The villagers say he should be freed.
So what do you think I want?
He shouldn't be in jail.
He's just a school boy.
What the villagers want
is what should happen.
Even though they did the crime,
we seek forgiveness.
They won't do it again.
What can I say?
Have you thought about
what the girl wants?
I can't speak to that.
The girl is still underage.
She has no idea how the world works.
What she wants, what she doesn't want
She's not capable of knowing.
We'd like to know,
what do you think should happen?
See, for me, what happened
is really serious, and it was a child.
What I'm trying to understand is,
how do we change the way
of thinking that led to this?
They are young and made a mistake.
Do we cut their throats
and toss them away?
Definitely not. That's not what I think.
Then what? We need a solution
that returns harmony to our village.
We have to live with Ranjit,
and Ranjit has to live in this village.
No one person
is more important than the community.
If the community turns its back on him,
you think he'll survive on his own?
Why is this so sensitive?
Because there were three.
Only one and we'd marry them.
That's the custom.
And another thing, madam,
if the girl wasn't there,
would this have happened?
This is a major thing we should focus on.
Not everything boys do is wrong.
Girls make mistakes too.
The way you walk,
your clothes, your lipstick
A girl always bears some blame.
A boy will only be naughty
if a girl encourages him.
Ranjit should have protected
his daughter's virginity.
No one will want to marry her now.
Do you think the steps you took,
when you told your mom and dad,
that you won't marry one of those boys,
and you want to see them punished,
do you think that took courage?
I just think that you should do your duty,
and always do the right thing.
Never make the wrong choice.
I mean
We weren't born to walk the wrong path.
To do good, to build a good future
Isn't that why God created us
in the first place?
Today we're talking about many things,
but we don't know what the future holds.
It's not like it used to be,
when your parents chose your partner,
now you can choose who you marry.
I keep thinking, will I fall in love
or not? I think about that a lot.
And if I do, how do I tell him
what happened to me?
I keep thinking about that.
Our case was filed today.
The next hearing date is on the 23rd,
and we should be there.
The process takes a long time.
Really long.
When asked by the court,
they said they committed no crime,
and plead "not guilty."
Now that the case is moving forward,
they may thr*aten to k*ll us.
-Who would thr*aten us?
-Some of their people.
When we get closer to judgment day,
there'll be more of that.
With what happened to her,
why would we suppress it?
Does our honor have no value?
If we don't stand up for ourselves,
they'll always try to push us around.
This will go on and on
Pain in the ass.
What do you think about
your parents doing all this for you?
About your father
and mother supporting you?
Come on don't be shy.
If you're afraid now,
how are you ever going to speak in court?
Nobody's going to help you there.
The two of us are very worried,
me and my wife.
A man's capable of anything
if he's angry enough
so I need to be prepared.
In the evenings, when it gets dark,
I become very alert.
I sleep less and watch over the house.
There are nights where if I sleep,
she stays awake,
and if she sleeps, I stay awake.
It gets exhausting.
Hello, Rajiv sir?
I have to go
to their home today for this case.
No, we don't normally do this,
but there's been no initiative shown
by the father of the victim.
Two or three court dates
have already passed,
and he didn't even know about them.
Let me go and see them today,
otherwise we won't be able
to keep up with the case.
Tell the family
they have to take the lead on this.
If the family doesn't take the initiative,
then why are we sticking our necks out?
-Anybody home?
-No.
Your mom and dad?
They've gone out.
Where did they go?
Father is playing cards.
He's playing cards over there.
He's playing cards? Go and get him.
Tell him we've come from Ranchi.
Go quick, run.
He's gone to Ranchi. He's not there.
He's not there?
He's in Ranchi.
When did he go to Ranchi?
He went before we came home from school.
Did he take his phone?
This number can't be reached right now.
Please try later.
Where's Ranjit?
-He's over there.
-What's he doing?
You already know.
Playing cards?
Normally when they play cards,
they get drunk.
So it may be a problem.
He won't understand what we're saying.
We were here in the morning,
you didn't come,
even though you were in the village.
I wasn't in the village,
I was somewhere else.
But your kids told us
you were playing cards.
Well, I was
Yes
November 3rd is your next date,
and you have to be at court that day.
Okay.
You should be there on time, by 10:00 a.m.
You're not paying enough attention,
how much can we push?
You understand that we're pushing you?
We ask you again
and again to take an interest.
Don't behave this way, okay?
When you go on the 3rd, make sure
you talk to the public prosecutor.
Okay.
While you're there,
ask him what's happened so far,
and what happens next.
Okay.
If you don't take this seriously,
neither will he.
Is he coming or not?
Where have you been?
-We're a bit late--
-A bit late? You're very late.
Monday is morning court,
and court starts at 7:00 a.m.
If you keep this up, we're done.
Now it's all on you.
Witness testimony finishes at 12:00
and you're so relaxed about it all.
I'm a lawyer, and it's not my job
to do your work.
Sometimes your phone's off,
sometimes it's on.
I called and called, you never answered.
No, the road was really bumpy,
it's impossible to hear it.
Now go find out when your new date is.
When that date comes,
you have to be on time.
Morning court begins on time.
You understand, right?
-Okay?
-Today
If you'd been on time,
your testimony would be done.
And answer your phone.
You should push back.
Because they're powerful,
you don't say much.
They're not that powerful.
How can you say that?
The case rests with them.
You're not able to say to them
what's on your mind.
You don't speak firmly enough.
You have to be firm.
Only then will they listen.
Don't be half-assed.
I just have to open my mouth,
and I say everything
that needs to be said.
So who's stopping you?
Our rice farming didn't go well this year.
Usually we sustain ourselves
for six months from the harvest,
this year didn't even get us a month.
If there's a court date,
I have to drop everything and go to court.
I have to bribe the court clerk.
If we don't pay something,
then they take no interest
in what happens to our case.
I've had to borrow money.
All my money is gone.
What's the best thing about your father?
What do you like most about him?
He listens to us
and respects our opinions.
And he's kind to everyone
and loving to everyone.
Do you ever get angry with him?
Yeah, sometimes.
Over what?
He goes to the market and comes home late,
and he comes back drunk, that's why.
I didn't drink this much before.
But after what happened,
I became mentally burdened.
So I'd ask myself,
"How do I do this? How can I do this?"
I know it's a bad habit,
but sometimes I feel powerless
and can't resist.
What are you afraid of?
It's not a fear of any one thing,
but there are times
when I'm scared at court.
What if I have to speak and the words
don't come, or I falter halfway?
That's what I'm most afraid of.
Go, child, freshen up.
Go splash some water on your face.
Go.
There's so much pressure
I have this small head, but I feel like
I have this intense pressure inside it.
Sometimes I feel like I'm suffocating.
Morning and night
I think, "How will I do this?"
"Can I do this?"
I'm starting to doubt
if I can keep this going.
You've had a real struggle
with this legal battle.
How's the atmosphere in the village?
Not good.
-Not good.
-No.
This incident has really shaken us.
But my daughter's begging me
not to drop the case.
Well, I'm pleased
that we've taken on this fight together,
as are my colleagues.
It's the first time in my life
that I've monitored a case this closely.
One father standing by his child,
especially a daughter,
with such conviction,
other children and their fathers
will find some courage,
and still more will learn
from your example.
This is how people change slowly.
But without that struggle,
we'd never see justice.
How has the r*pe affected your daughter?
Do you think she's having problems?
Something she can't talk about?
Or she talks, but only to her mother?
I know things about her
that her mom doesn't know.
If there was something,
she'd tell me first.
We realize
she needs an education to move past this.
If she accomplishes something
nobody in our village has done before,
she'll have proven herself.
If you become something,
the stain on you,
you can wipe that clean
with a good education.
She feels the same.
There's no stain on her.
No, there isn't, but the mindset is there
And if you're educated,
you can defend yourself better.
Never suggest to her
-that there's a stain on her.
-No.
There's never been a stain
on your daughter.
Those who did this are the ones
who should hang their heads in shame.
The stain is on them.
We'll behave normally.
We'll walk with pride,
with our heads held high.
And our children will do the same.
-Yes, hello?
-Hello, is this Mr. Suresh speaking?
Yes, speaking. Who are you?
I'm Jopha from the Srijan Foundation.
You know of the incident
that happened in your village?
After the incident appeared in the media,
the whole world knows about it.
You're named as a witness in the case.
Can we count on you to testify?
Look, I can't tell you what I'd say,
or if I'll testify or not.
How can I answer that?
We're trying to rebuild the mood
in the village,
and we're thinking
about a compromise for this.
It's not just my opinion,
it's the whole village.
Every time there's a r*pe,
there's a council meeting,
followed by a compromise.
My opinion is that
a criminal is a criminal.
Will the honor
that's been taken from the girl
be restored by a prison sentence?
How can you say that?
No, listen to me, don't be so rigid.
You can't just impose your law,
you have to look at everything.
Yes
Listen to me, listen to me,
are you going to listen or just talk?
You listen to me, that girl--
No one has more sympathy
for that girl than me.
You're just on a phone,
and it happened in my village.
How long will you stand by her?
How long can you keep her safe?
What happens in five or seven years
when they're released?
Who'll be here then?
Will the state send
a bodyguard to protect her?
There's a lot to consider.
What was she doing out at midnight?
When there were no women there?
Why aren't you asking this?
Ask the girl what she went through
when three men r*ped her.
If educated, respected people like us
stand by rapists,
then where is our society headed?
Fine.
These people will get someone k*lled.
Who the hell are these people
to speak to me?
If something happens, it's on her.
And this bloody Srijan Foundation.
Is she better than me?
If someone's k*lled, who gets the call?
Me or her?
That woman is encouraging him,
or he'd have agreed with us.
That woman from Srijan is encouraging him.
Why take so much interest in this?
There are plenty of rapists
out there to fight with.
He's going to drown in this.
Not a single person will take his side.
Fight as hard as you want, you'll lose.
Is he crazy?
Ishwar's father threatened me.
The father of the youngest boy.
Suddenly he came up behind me,
and he said,
"m*therf*cker"
"Are you getting my son
out of jail or not?"
"If you don't, I'll k*ll you
and burn your house down."
Then there's the other r*pist, Kapil.
Kapil's mother told me,
"We won't k*ll you,
but we know men who will."
"Wait and see what happens."
"We won't rest until you're dead."
Do your children know what's going on?
Are they aware of these threats?
When Kiran heard about the threats
she didn't say anything,
she just started crying.
My youngest son says,
"If daddy dies, I'll die too."
"Along with him."
I'm helpless because my kids are so young.
Sometimes, I have to
really think about it.
If they k*ll me,
what happens to my children?
Ranjit, are you facing any problems
because of us?
Only that when you come to my house,
they think all of you are influencing me.
"Whatever he believes,
they push him further."
You're pushing me
to have the boys punished.
That's what they think,
so the boys' families get angry.
It's not true,
but that's what they think.
I'm definitely worried.
The families are angry right now,
and there's three of them.
The thing is,
we keep going back to the village.
So we're also responsible
for the tension there.
If we didn't go, things might quiet down.
He'd have filed the case anyway, but
because of us, it's always in their face.
Do you ever think the villagers
should be left alone?
I don't think we can leave them alone.
Stop going all together? We can't do that.
We can't just stop going.
Because that also sends the wrong message.
There's a lot to consider here.
I get scared when I think about it.
It's not like I don't.
My carelessness
at the wedding led to this.
Now I know I can't be careless anymore,
because I can't afford another mistake.
My daughter always says,
"I'd rather die than give in."
If she's that brave,
for such a young girl,
then I
I'm proud of her courage.
If we've shown courage, then so has she.
When I think of her, my fear goes away.
I've lived my life.
Now I must live for my children.
Whatever happens,
I have to fight to the end.
I need to speak to you about Ranjit.
He was told he'd be k*lled
if he didn't drop the case.
The father of one of the boys
threatened to burn his house down.
If you go to the police,
they won't do anything.
So you can't go to them.
Ranjit needs to stand firm
and take this on.
And we have to figure out
what else can be done legally.
If we don't do something,
then the voices demanding he drop the case
will only grow louder.
These days you never know
what someone's thinking,
or what they might do.
In these situations,
things can change in an hour.
What's the mukhiya like?
He sees himself as superior to others,
so he won't take kindly to
others giving him advice.
Let's see how it goes,
but we have to try to influence him.
These powerful people aren't afraid of us,
but they're afraid of the law.
Whatever happens in my jurisdiction
is brought to me first.
We proposed marriage
between the two of them.
Was this your idea or others'?
The whole village talked about it,
including her family.
The best way to save a man
from being punished,
is to convince the girl's family
to marry him,
and then the man escapes imprisonment.
And when you force marriage on a girl,
it's not a relationship, it's still r*pe.
But a man can be manipulated into it.
I've seen it happen.
I've seen innocent men arrested.
Then let a court of law
determine if they're innocent.
We have no right to decide that.
You must be aware of POCSO,
the new law that was passed?
If a minor, either a boy or a girl,
is sexually assaulted in any way,
or r*ped,
the one who did it is guilty of course.
But even if you learn about it later,
as a public official,
a representative of the village,
if you don't support
the victim's pursuit of justice,
then you're considered guilty as well.
Show me some nice fabric
for pants and a shirt.
Black pants and a white shirt.
This is a superior quality
It should look good.
Stand up straight.
-Hello.
-Hello, Ranjit.
Yes.
You have to be at court tomorrow.
You'll be there, right?
Okay, I'll be there.
Couldn't connect.
His phone's off.
This number can't be reached right now.
Please try later.
Where have you been?
Let's go or we'll be late.
I was a little worried.
Worried whether you were coming or not
What are you so worried about?
If I missed this date I'd go on the next.
It's my choice.
Why are you so worried, tell me?
There's some urgency
What's the rush?
It's my job to get everyone there,
and if you miss a date,
it could be a problem for me.
I'm not at your beck and call.
I have my own work too.
I'm not a loser like you.
In the whole village,
I don't trust anyone as much as you.
I'd believe you even if you lied to me.
I'll only speak about what I know.
We're outside.
Okay, come quick.
Okay, the ward member isn't with me.
I'll call him.
Yeah, I'll find him.
Okay.
His phone's off.
We're in a rush and he's wasting time.
They won't accept testimonies
after 9:00 am.
What time is it now?
It's 8:45.
-Did he arrive?
-What?
-Is he here?
-Who? Where?
-He came this way.
-Go find him.
-Would he be in your chambers?
-How would he get into my chambers?
Did he run away?
They're calling for you.
Through here then straight.
Up there and around the corner.
Yeah, that way.
Here he is, sir.
Sir, I have a question
about the ward member's testimony.
I couldn't hear him from the back.
You were in front, what did he say?
Was it the truth?
Or did he side with them?
He said you called
and told him what happened,
and you recounted
all the details of that night,
and that those three men
r*ped your daughter.
It's in your favor.
That's all I wanted to know.
Everything I said in court was true.
Whether I did the right thing
or the wrong thing, I can't say.
But if someone does something wrong
and truly regrets it,
then I feel they should be forgiven.
They're only human.
Even God forgives.
The stain on her can only be removed
if the whole village wants it.
You think the law can erase it?
You want to hang them? Go ahead.
But the stain won't wash away.
The investigating officer is coming today.
He's testifying today.
I spoke to him, he's on his way.
Roughly what time, sir?
It'll happen when it happens.
His testimony is very important
because he conducted
the whole investigation.
Everything that's been filed in the case,
like the medical tests that were done,
the witness statements,
he'll speak to all of this today.
So is it Samrendra Kumar Singh
who's coming or--
Samrendra Kumar Singh is coming.
Got it?
-Okay, I know who he is.
-Yes, go.
The officer who filed our case
was the station chief,
and he handed the case over to this man.
So
He's not the brightest person.
He's a bit
He's not a clear-headed man,
he's not that smart,
so I have doubts that he'll be able to say
what needs to be said.
He may be an officer,
but he doesn't have it.
Sir, can we speak to you for two minutes?
Go ahead.
We can?
So this case that
you carried out the investigation for,
what do you remember about it?
Okay.
What do you remember? Please tell us.
Can you tell us what you remember?
Well, the proceedings haven't started yet.
They'll begin soon.
What will you say?
Can you tell us,
since we're not allowed in?
Please tell us what you remember.
Okay.
Okay.
Ask someone else.
Wait until I'm out,
I'll come pay you a visit.
When I get out, I'll take that camera
and teach them a lesson.
Film as much as you can now.
What happened?
He had no clue
how to investigate a case like this.
What time did it happen?
He said, "During the day."
Did you question any witnesses? "No."
"I didn't do that."
Did you examine the area?
That spot? Maybe there's blood
or signs of a struggle?
"No."
He did none of that.
So the investigation has failed to provide
the basic facts of the case.
He wasn't able to say a single thing.
He had no clue what to say.
And he's an inspector. Ridiculous.
What an assh*le.
The judge said,
"You wear two stars on your shirt,
yet you can't utter
a single word properly!"
Until this is resolved,
I won't have peace.
I hope all our efforts won't be in vain
because of this.
Those boys could
very well benefit from this.
They could be released
due to weak evidence.
If they're in fact guilty,
this is very wrong.
Because justice won't be served.
So now the girl's testimony
will be the biggest factor
in determining the judgment.
"Kapil Munda grabbed my arm
and dragged me to the river bank."
"I started shouting and screaming,
but nobody heard me."
Speak louder.
I'm nervous.
"Kapil Munda took off his pants
and took off my"
"He pulled up my skirt."
"He pulled up my skirt
and took off my panties."
"He started"
"He started raping me forcefully."
"After Kapil Munda r*ped me,
Langru Munda also
took his turn and r*ped me."
Isn't it?
You have to say everything directly
look straight at them.
You have to say all this correctly.
Once more.
"I told my mother and father everything."
"After telling them"
"We went to the police"
"went to the police to give my"
-"to give my statement."
-"statement--"
"By submitting this,
my"
Speak louder.
She's not loud enough?
No, people will say
they didn't hear something.
If she talks through her nose,
they won't hear her.
How will they know what she's saying?
Keep going.
Don't stress her even more.
Go again.
Why aren't you speaking?
If you don't memorize it,
then you'll stumble.
Everything depends on you.
Are you getting the sweets?
There's someone here
talking to the ladies.
So far I've taken care of it,
but we need to go.
Get your things together.
What's happening?
A man from the village is going around,
asking why you people come every day.
He's talking to people.
He's gathering all the women.
He's walking around and swearing.
He's swearing?
"These jerks come every day" and so on.
Go speak to him.
Yeah, but leave the camera.
We need to calm them down.
Where's Ranjit?
Not home.
-Where is he?
-Greetings, sir.
Greetings, how are you?
We're fine.
Sit down.
-Is he home?
-What?
-Is he here?
-No.
Madam, you sit too.
So how are you?
We're fine.
I saw you at court once.
Oh, yes.
You come again and again,
how long will this go on for?
When will you be done?
See, in India very few men
stand by their daughters.
And we've met this man, Ranjit,
who is standing by his daughter.
So whatever he's doing,
we're filming some of it.
That's why we come to your village.
I'll tell you this is the first village,
there's never been
a r*pe case here until now.
Who are these people?
What will they do with this?
That's what you need to ask.
They may not be doing anything wrong,
but it still disgraces our village, right?
What harm is there in filming?
Look, if they keep coming,
we have a right to know
what they're doing.
Do you know why they come?
What business is that of anyone's?
Where are they coming from?
Now everybody's watching us,
the filming, the court case, the police
Don't say anything about the case
or the investigation.
I won't hear of it.
We could have solved this
amongst ourselves.
I'm telling you to stop all of this.
I am telling you
you tell these people here
Tell them to stop now,
before there's a problem.
It's not good for you or them.
Everyone in the village is angry.
Look, the men have been drinking
and this could get bad.
Sister, you film people,
you need to get out now.
Take all the things and go.
So a large crowd gathered,
and they said,
"This time we'll let you go,
but next time we could k*ll you."
So I wanted to tell you
that this had happened
because it could impact your work.
I was afraid something like this
would happen.
This is a critical time
and we need to tread very carefully.
We have to make sure
that no one gets hurt.
The situation around here
gets aggressive really fast.
The villages in Jharkhand
are very volatile.
They'll take someone's legs
and just cut them off.
They won't think twice,
they'll take a brick and smash you.
Even the police won't go to that village.
You spoke with Ranjit yesterday,
what does he think about all this?
Ranjit and his wife will never back down.
And as the families realize this,
their anger is growing.
They might just be
getting worked up about the filming,
so we can stop that.
But we can't stop going ourselves.
Sign this please.
Sign here.
-Speak calmly and composed. Okay?
-Yes.
Don't be afraid, okay?
-Okay.
-Just be calm.
So we can hear you properly.
-Including the judge, okay?
-Yes.
Okay.
Okay, time to go.
You come in front.
When did the incident take place?
On what date?
9th April, 2017.
At what time?
12:00 midnight.
Where were you before that?
There was a wedding reception
at Kartik Munda's place.
Okay.
Around midnight, while I was dancing,
Kapil Munda suddenly grabbed me
by the arm,
and started dragging me to the river.
When I tried to resist,
he covered my mouth.
He dragged me to the dheu tree.
Kapil Munda was followed
by Ishwar and Langru Munda.
Kapil Munda threw me to the ground.
Ishwar Munda and Langru Munda,
held me down by my arms and body.
And after that,
Kapil Munda took off his pants
and lifted my skirt.
He removed my panties
and started raping me forcefully.
After Kapil Munda was done raping me,
Langru Munda r*ped me forcefully.
After Langru Munda r*ped me,
Ishwar Munda also r*ped me.
After the r*pe,
the three of them b*at me as well.
They said if I told anyone,
they would k*ll me.
After raping me,
they left me there and ran away.
You did well.
You did better than I thought you would.
Good.
I feel relieved.
I was scared.
You know a final exam?
It was something like that.
Since you're going home after three days,
what are you looking forward to the most?
I'll chat with everyone at home,
then I'll do some chores,
then I'll go out.
Where will you go?
To eat mangos.
The testimony went very well.
I was afraid, because she's a child,
she might not be able to do it.
She wept, but she kept going.
And it made me feel so
It felt good,
like we climbed the first step
on the ladder of success.
If because of our case,
these incidents stop happening
in our villages,
then I'll consider it a sacrifice
made by my daughter.
There's nothing more noble than sacrifice.
Namaskar. Today's breaking news
from Ranchi Civil Courts.
Today, after a 14-month trial,
Judge Diwakar Pandey stunned
the court with a landmark decision,
the longest jail sentence ever given
for the crime of r*pe in Jharkhand.
A shocked courtroom listened
as the three accused in the g*ng r*pe
of a 13-year-old girl,
Kapil, Ishwar, and Langru Munda
were each given 25 years.
When announcing his decision,
the judge said,
"In a case where
it relates to sexual as*ault
against a minor,
the court must act sternly."
In a country where a woman is r*ped
every 20 minutes,
perhaps this case
will have a ripple effect
in courtrooms across the nation. Namaskar.
Hi, Papa.
My dear,
you won.
Do you understand?
Kapil, Langru and Ishwar,
all three were found guilty.
Are you okay?
I'm fine.
Okay, so don't tell anybody.
Yes.
Okay.
On my way home,
I think I'll pick up sweets
for the children.
How much for these?
These here.
I feel like a burden
has been lifted off me.
I'm feeling relieved.
Whatever you do with an honest heart,
always turns out good.
I want him to stand by me
through thick and thin.
That's enough for me.
Those who walk
with their steps in unison, never fail.
-Greetings, Amit.
-Greetings.
Congratulations, you won the case.
We should congratulate you too,
we succeeded because of your help.
It was a collective effort.
You all worked hard
explaining everything we needed to do.
It was very difficult
for me to understand,
but you all really helped me.
And it's because of that,
we got the outcome we did.
And it feels good.
Actually, it's all coming back to me.
It never felt like someone else's problem.
It always felt personal, and
I feel we all worked so hard.
There were so many ups and downs,
but in the end we reached our goal.
I don't know what else to say.
I don't have the words.
You've not only sent a message
to the people of your village,
but to other villages as well.
Your courage will give others courage.
You stood by your daughter like a rock.
You're an inspiration for all of us.
Your story is an example
for other men to follow,
they'll learn to also fight
for the girls and women in their lives
on the issues of v*olence and justice.
And this brings me tremendous joy.
Yes, sir.
Meanwhile, watch over
and take care of your family.
You need to be alert, day and night.
Whenever you leave the house, be careful.
We'll try to stand by you in every way.
Okay, sir.
Okay then, thank you very much.
You too, sir.
"The court sentenced
the three perpetrators to 25 years each,
for the g*ng r*pe of a 13-year-old child."
"On hearing the court's decision,
the girl's father said,
'I was hopeful
they would be severely punished.'"
"What happened to my daughter
should never happen to anyone else."
"She should get justice."
What's the mood now in the village?
They're not saying anything because
they're feeling ashamed.
I think some of them are happy,
but they don't come forward.
Those who mocked me
lower their heads in shame
the moment they see me.
Somebody once told me,
"You can't k*ll a tiger by yourself."
I said to him,
"I'll show you
how to k*ll a tiger by yourself."
I said I would k*ll the tiger,
and I did.
Everyone knows what they did was wrong.
But a shorter sentence would be better.
They could've reformed
and not done it again.
But it went to court, they were sentenced,
who knows what happens now?
This is how the world works.
To serve 25 years in prison
means half your life is over.
I think about my community,
so of course I feel bad.
I feel bad because they're all children
from my village.
But the boys did wrong
and there are consequences.
There's nothing left to say.
What's done is done.
I've done everything out of love.
My daughter knows
that whatever she asks for,
her father will provide.
When it was my time to dream,
I didn't get the chance.
Now whatever dreams I have
are only for my kids.
I don't want them to be
as powerless as I've been.
I want people to see
that even through poverty,
I taught my children well
and gave them good values.
That's my hope.
dren well
and gave them good values.
To k*ll a Tiger (2022)
Moderator: Maskath3