Life beyond a criminal past

KOLKATA: It is a poignant story of vengeance and forgiveness. Of misguided children and their misplaced fury. When 14-year-old Subhrajyoti Ghosh brutally slashed his aunt and grandparents with a sickle at their Chetla home on January 19, it left the city shocked. Three and a half months later, he is back in his old school and is even scoring high marks in exams.In a rare show of acceptance, Subhrajyoti's family has taken him back and is helping him rebuild his life.
"We did not want him to stay in Dhrubashram. I've lost my brother, so how can I allow my nephew to go and lead a life away from home in a juvenile delinquent centre. Moreover, my parents were convinced that Subhro was influenced by some members of the family who instigated him. He is actually innocent," said Baishakhi Ghosh, his aunt.
She had received severe injuries in her head and is still recuperating. "The day before my brother had killed himself following an argument with our father. Our father was discussing a family matter with my brother and asked him to act with restraint. This may have been reported by somebody to Subhra after he returned home. So, he held his grandparents responsible for his father's death," said Ghosh.
At Bolpur, another juvenile delinquent is on the rehabilitation path. But unlike Subhrajyoti, Arka Das is guilty of murder. The 14-year-old had killed a friend's sister, a 10-year-old, for an I-pod.
Arka is now living with his parents and trying hard to be a part of the mainstream. His father Anil Das is a laboratory assistant at Bidyasagar College. After the incident, he sold his home and shifted to a rented apartment in a different location.
"I do not know how I ended up committing the crime. I actually did not want to do it. Now, I want to study," Arka sobs. He refuses to leave home and also does not speak to his friends much.
"I am trying to get him involved in a lot of activities and also want that he should be admitted to a school, only I fear he might be victimised because of his past," said Anil Das. It was his graduate elder brother who kept in touch with Arka even when he was at Dhrubashram since his father couldn't visit him with an ailing wife at home.
Psychiatrists believe this is the right way to treat juvenile criminals. "They should be taken back by their families though it is difficult and extremely rare. In most cases, communication breaks down between the parents and the child and it becomes difficult to rebuild the relationship. But it must be remembered that they commit crimes without knowing its implications. The trauma, however, remains and so they need constant emotional support," said psychiatrist Shiladitya Ray.
Subhrajyoti's grandparents, Chayanika and Anil Ghosh, are yet to recover from the trauma. "But nobody holds any grudge against him," Baishakhi said.
Biswajit Biswas, maternal uncle of Subhrajyoti with whom he and his mother Sumi now stays, said he deeply regretted his action. "We do not want him to recall what had happened. There are times when he cries hysterically and says that it was because of his father's unexpected death that led him to the crime and that he was extremely sorry. "He now goes out to play and is regular in his studies. Rather, this incident has left him more determined to score well," Biswas says. In his free time he plays computer games and even meets his friends," Biswas says.
Both Arka and Subhrojyoti were released on bail by the Juvenile Justice Board after keeping them a couple of months at Dhrubasram. For the first few days they did not seem repentant, but later they realised that they had done wrong. "They used to cry. Our counsellors attended them and gradually they managed to come out from the bitter experiences. They started leading normal life at the home resumed their study, and chatted with other children.
Meanwhile family members expressed their interest to take them back and both boys were granted bail so that they can stay with their family members. An officer has been engaged to keep watch on the boys. Police will submit the chargesheet for an offence of attempt to murder, but the good conduct of the accused boys will reduce their punishment.