Mother who shot dead her 7-year-old daughter’s rapist inside courtroom remembered amid Kolkata horror

Incidents of rape and murder have been making headlines for the last several decades, bringing immense international shame to India, which is already looked down upon by western countries for failing to combat rape cases.

At least 5-10 cases of rape cases have been reported from various parts of India amidst the horrific Kolkata doctor’s rape and murder. Not just Abhaya rape and murder, a UP man raped his teen daughter for over a year; a 14-year-old girl was raped by a school teacher; 11-yr-old boy raped 4-year-old girl; a young nurse was raped; Bengaluru girl returning home was raped by a biker who gave her lift; Punjabi girl gang-raped inside a bus in Uttarakhand and several other such incidents have been reported in the last few days.

The Kolkata incident has sent shockwaves across the country with angry netizens demanding death penalty for the rapists. While we hold candle marches, nothing much has changed after ‘Nirbhaya’. Rape and atrocities against women continue to become a new normal with politicians and people responsible not even batting an eye.

have you seen this one:

A mother takes vengeance for his daughter by killing the rapist in court room pic.twitter.com/2dAP09uTqA

— Prophet of Objection (@4400AD) August 19, 2024

As angry netizens demand death penalty for rapists, the story of Marianne Bachmeier, the courageous woman who shot dead the rapist of her 7-year-old daughter in court, has become a matter of discussion.

Marianne was a German mother who, in 1981, shot and killed Klaus Grabowski, the man who had raped and murdered her seven-year-old daughter. She smuggled a gun into the courtroom and fired at him in a moment of grief and anger. 

Marianne was sentenced to six years for manslaughter but served three. Her case became a symbol of vigilante justice and sparked debates on morality and the legal system.

As per reports, the accused lured the 7-year-old victim to his apartment on the pretence of playing with his cats. He then held for captive for several hours, sexually assaulted her, and ultimately strangled her with his fiancée’s tights.

The accused then placed her body in a cardboard and disposed of it near a canal. The crime devastated Marianne who was already struggling as a single parent. The loss of her daughter drove Marianne to a breaking point, culminating in her shooting the accused in the court during his trial. 

The act sparked widespread public debate and raised complex questions about justice, revenge and the limits of the legal system. A movie was also made on her.

Also Read | Kolkata Horror: Deceased Doctor had 14 injuries, all inflicted Before Death