In a dramatic and desperate plea for justice, two teenage sisters from Uttarakhand have penned a letter to President Droupadi Murmu using their own blood. The act underscores the growing public anguish and frustration over the investigation into the murder of a 19-year-old woman at a Rishikesh resort.
A Desperate Plea Written in Blood
The letter was written by 19-year-old Kusum Lata Bourai and her 15-year-old sister Sanjana Bourai, a Class 10 student from the Salt area of Almora district. In their heartfelt appeal, the sisters questioned the safety of women in India and the perceived impunity of the powerful. "Is the life of an ordinary girl so cheap? Are VIPs allowed to commit crime freely?" they asked, asserting that "the daughters of Mother India have the right to feel safe."
Sanjana, describing herself as an "ordinary student," stated that raising one's voice against injustice was a citizen's duty. She called for the immediate arrest of all involved, regardless of their status. "India is a justice-loving country and you are not only the first citizen of India but also a woman and our guardian," the letter addressed to the President read, urging her intervention to ensure strict punishment for all culprits.
Political Storm and Audio Clip Controversy
The sisters' extraordinary appeal comes amid a heightened political controversy in Uttarakhand. The case has been fueled by the circulation of several audio clips, allegedly featuring expelled BJP MLA Rajkumar Rathore. In these clips, Rathore is purportedly heard referring to a "VIP" involved in the case, whom he claimed was BJP national general secretary Dushyant Gautam.
While Gautam has strongly denied any involvement, Rathore has dismissed the clips as "AI-generated." This controversy has sparked widespread protests across the state, with demonstrators accusing authorities of shielding influential figures and demanding action against the so-called VIPs linked to the murder.
Kusum Lata told media that repeated memorandums and protests had yielded no response, leaving them with no option but to write in blood. "My sister is very young, but she insisted on writing this letter. The way ‘didi' was murdered... and the delay in justice compelled us to write directly to the President," she explained. The memorandum was formally forwarded to the President's office through SDM Kashipur Abhay Pratap Singh.
Protests Intensify Demand for Justice
The public outcry shows no signs of abating. On Monday, Congress workers in Almora organized a ‘Nyay Yatra' (Justice March) to press for action. The march began at Chaughanpata, wound through the main market, and culminated at Gandhi Park, where senior party leaders and workers gathered.
Protesters held placards and banners, raising slogans against the state's BJP government. Their core demand remains the immediate arrest of the accused and the "harshest possible punishment" for them, reflecting a deep-seated erosion of faith in the justice system when the powerful are involved.
Echoing the sentiment in the blood letter, Kusum Lata emphasized that their demand was not just about this single case. It was about sending a clear message that crime would not go unpunished, irrespective of the accused's stature or influence. The sisters' act has become a powerful symbol of a citizen's struggle against perceived systemic failure.
