Distraught about Hathras gang-rape incident, Jasmin Bhasin questions, “Are we animals?”

Like the rest of the country, actor Jasmin Bhasin has been deeply disturbed by the recent Hathras gang-rape incident. A Dalit girl was brutally raped and tortured, and when she passed away, her parents were not even-handed over the body. The entire village was guarded by police personnel and debarred outsiders entry. No one, including media, was allowed to meet the family of the victim.

The Dil Se Dil Tak actor says that such cases must be dealt with seriously and urgently. “The Hathras gang rape case has been shocking. When the Nirbhaya case happened, the country was in shock. But it pains me to see that there has been yet another heinous case, and for all you know, there must have been many more which haven’t been reported. I just want to ask one question? Are we animals? What is the reason for such animality? It breaks my heart to see what the family had to go through even after her death. The fact that justice is delayed in these cases is one of the reasons why people are not very scared,” says Jasmin, who has been seen in shows such as Dil Toh Happy Hai Ji and Naagin.

The actor adds that this case must be fast-tracked and the accused must be punished quickly. “Also, there is a general perception that the accused might not even get caught or be punished for the crime, which makes it easier for them to repeat such heinous acts. I feel that the accused should be given the harshest punishment. In many countries, rapists are castrated, we must also have similar laws,” she says.