Aaftab has confessed to the crime while a local court in Delhi has already ordered his narco test analysis within five days. There is no denying the fact that whatever has happened cannot be justified, rather, it can be said that what Aaftab has done has brought the entire humanity to shame. So far, their relationship has emerged as abusive, where, what Shraddha used to face, was domestic violence on a daily basis, but still, she preferred to stay with him. In Delhi, they lived as husband-wife while in reality, they were in a live-in relationship. Both of them belong to two different faiths, but till now, the matter of forced conversion—in other terms ‘Love Jihad’— which was being suggested in every comment made on the case has not come to the fore from any angle.
Initial attempts to introduce religion were made by those with vested interests, but they have not been successful. Despite this, the story continues to be sensationalised, and occasionally an attempt to include a religious component is made. Shraddha’s family did not approve of her relationship with Aaftab, but they chose to leave Mumbai rather than break things off. Although Shraddha experienced frequent violence in their toxic relationship, the religious component is not even apparent to the authorities in Delhi and Mumbai or to Shraddha’s friends and family, who are now sharing more information about her relationship with Aaftab and the abuse she endured.
No matter the religion, the criminal, who is nothing less than a beast, must receive the greatest punishment permitted by the law. It is imperative to avoid bringing up religion in the case, which has gained national attention. There are definitely some out there who would like to exploit the situation by manipulating the facts and turning the horrifying murder cases into something else. People must exercise caution and ensure that Aaftab receives his rightful reward while the victim receives justice. In this regard, J&K provided a cue where people have always remained objective in such cases, looking at the crime and not bothering about the religious background of the criminal; focusing on the victim getting justice and not vitiating the atmosphere on communal lines. Even in delicate cases like the Magam Rape and Murder Case or, for that matter, the well-known Kathua Rape and Murder Case that shocked everyone, you won’t see Kashmiris bringing in religion. Better sense must prevail!
