A rape occurs every 16 minutes in India, amounting to 90 rapes every day, according to the 2022 data from the National Crime Records Bureau. The brutal rape and murder of a female trainee doctor in Kolkata has sparked outrage across the country. People are taking to the streets, demanding instant justice. This incident has reminded the public of the numerous heinous crimes committed against girls and women in the past, crimes that shook the nation's conscience. In these cases, it often takes years of legal battles for the perpetrators to be punished, with trials and investigations dragging on. However, about 20 years ago, there was an incident in the country where women took justice into their own hands by punishing a rapist so severely that even today, the mere mention of it sends shivers down the spine.
Hundreds of women stormed a courtroom and administered a terrifying punishment to a serial rapist, serving as a lesson to others who might commit similar crimes. This shocking event created a sensation. The executioner, who was given a horrifying death by the women, was named Akku Yadav. After killing him, the women told the judge in court, "Now, you can punish us as you see fit."
Who was Akku Yadav, the man everyone feared?
Akku Yadav, also known as Bharat Kalicharan, was from Kasturba Nagar in Nagpur district of Maharashtra. He grew up in slums, starting with petty crimes and eventually becoming a notorious gangster. His very name sent shivers through the entire area, and he had terrorised 300 families, keeping them under his control. Akku Yadav and his gang would beat, torture, and dismember men, women, and children, raping women and then murdering them. This happened daily.
Akku Yadav was a man of significant influence, having amassed considerable wealth through illegal means. From a young age, he exhibited criminal tendencies and publicly carried out gang rapes. He had sexually assaulted hundreds of women, girls, and elderly women in the area. He had declared that every day, a woman from the area, whether a girl, a young woman, or an elderly woman, should be sent to him. He demanded a woman every day—he was a psychopath and a serial rapist. He had even raped girls under the age of 10.
Akku Yadav's continued atrocities against women
The people of Kasturba Nagar were deeply troubled by Akku Yadav's behavior, but no one had the courage to speak out or act against him. Despite the unbearable stigma, the rape victims reported the crimes to the police, but their complaints were ignored, and the court officials dismissed the charges against Akku. The reason for this was that he regularly bribed those in power with money, alcohol, and other incentives, making him untouchable. This went on for years.
In August 2004, Akku raped a young woman and demanded money from her. The victim was 25 years old. When she reported Akku to the police, he, along with 40 of his goons, arrived at her home and threatened to throw acid on her face. He warned her, saying, "If we ever meet you again, you don't know what we'll do to you! Gang rape would be nothing! We'll do things you can't even imagine!" She called the police, but as had happened before, they did not respond.
When Akku learned of this, he went to her house with his goons. Seeing him, the victim ran to the kitchen, opened the gas cylinder, and, holding a matchstick, shouted that she would blow up herself and all the attackers, including Akku. Terrified, Akku and his men fled. She then ran out of her house in a panic, gathered her neighbors, and urged them to take a stand. Inspired by her courage, they decided that enough was enough and that Akku needed to be taught a lesson.
200 women storm the courtroom
Following this, hundreds of men and women picked up stones and sticks and began attacking members of Akku's gang. They burned down Akku's house. To save his life, the police took Akku into custody. On August 13, Akku Yadav was presented in Nagpur District Court. When it became clear that he would once again be acquitted by the court, 200 women suddenly stormed the courtroom.
In the courtroom, Akku, trying to appear brave, threatened each of them. He called one of the women, who he had previously raped, a prostitute. The woman took off her slipper and started beating him in the courtroom, shouting, "Enough is enough! We both cannot coexist on this earth. Either you live, or I do."
Women deliver a horrifying death
After this, the women broke down the courtroom gate and stormed in large numbers. They pushed aside the guards and court officials, grabbed Akku Yadav, and smeared chili powder on his face. They filled his mouth with red chilies and stones and cut off his private parts with a kitchen knife. The women then collectively stabbed him at least 70 times, completely mutilating his body. After this serial killer's death, the police arrested around 100 people, and 18 of them were charged with murder.
The women believed that this was the only way they could punish the monster, as the courts and police could do nothing to harm him. One of the women, V. Chandra, said, "We endured his atrocities for a long time, waiting for police action, but nothing happened. The harassment and daily rapes continued." The victim, who first confronted Akku, revealed that the police and politicians were all in cahoots with him, providing him protection. "No one listened to us poor people," she said.
Women claimed they did nothing wrong
The women insisted that they did nothing wrong. They defended themselves and their daughters from that monster. "It takes a lifetime for the courts to deliver a verdict. By the time a decision is made, the criminals might have already died. What is the point of a verdict then? We gave the courts 15 years; we silently endured the atrocities," they said. "Kasturba Nagar has sent a clear message to the courts that we did what you couldn't. You tell us how we are wrong. There is no justice for the poor. What if something like this had happened to the wife or daughter of a minister? That's why we decided to take matters into our own hands."
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