Focus on the act, not the actor!

Are women just as capable of committing serious crimes as men? In a world where gender roles are constantly evolving, reports of a wife killing her husband often spark intense debate and controversy. In a society evolving at breakneck speed, the line between progress and prejudice is often blurred.  One such gray area is the way we perceive crime through the lens of gender. Recently, there has been a worrying uptick in cases where husbands have been harmed or even killed by their wives, sometimes in connivance with lovers. These are not just statistics; they are chilling reminders that violence knows no gender.

Recently, how this shit has popped up in every human mind that all women are cruel because people conclude the situation by gender, but not by the culprit.  And the most recent case is not far from this to make us understand the situation. Raja Raghuvanshi, a 29-year-old transporter from Indore, was tragically killed during his honeymoon in Meghalaya on May 23, 2025. 

His newlywed wife, Sonam Raghuvanshi, 25, is suspected of orchestrating the crime. This heinous act is deeply troubling. In today’s society, perceptions of women are evolving, particularly in light of recent cases where wives have violently harmed their husbands in response to marital issues. It is a serious crime to take someone’s life, especially when individuals have other options to refuse marriage. No one has the right to end another person’s life.

Crime Is Not Gendered

There is a troubling trend in public discourse where genders are either demonized or glorified based on selective incidents. While it is essential to protect women from abuse, it is equally important to hold them accountable when they commit acts of violence. The uncomfortable truth is that criminal behaviour arises from individual psychology rather than biological differences. Both men and women are equally capable of love, compassion, and violence.

 

We often forget that alongside these well-known cases are thousands in which women endure immense abuse, mental, physical, and sexual. Nirbhaya remains a painful memory etched in the nation’s conscience, but we must also acknowledge that men can be victims too, often silenced by shame, mocked, or ignored. If we hold women equally accountable for acts of violence, we must question why this disparity exists. The truth is that crime is not defined by gender, but rather by individual actions, philosophies, and psychology. Gender does not determine innocence or guilt; men and women are simply different variables in the human experience. However, society’s perception of gender is often tragic and heavily influenced by prevailing gender norms.

We should focus on holding the culprits accountable rather than blaming gender. The ongoing debate around gender issues often leads to stereotypes, painting all women as unfaithful or harmful, with assumptions that they might engage in affairs or harm their partners. However, we must not forget that there are still far more cases of rape than recent incidents suggest. It’s essential to recognise that not all men are the same; the core issue here is to prioritise our shared humanity rather than gender.

Many girl child, teenage girls, elderly women, and young married women have faced horrific violence, including rape and murder. This is a serious concern, and we need to raise our voices for justice against crime and criminals instead of getting caught up in gender debates. Gender does not determine who is right or wrong; our focus should be on our common humanity.

Unfortunately, in our society, the government is not taking action to address the increasing vulgarity in cinemas, particularly through web series that depict intimacy, violence, and sexuality. This rise in explicit content has become an issue, especially as it contributes to gender-based crimes. It is disheartening to see that people often judge others based on trends seen on social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook, without taking the time to reflect on their own thoughts and beliefs. 

Role of Media, Entertainment, and Social Platforms

What fuels this dangerous divide further is the unchecked vulgarity in web content and cinema, normalising infidelity, aggression, and toxic behaviour in the name of entertainment. OTT platforms often blur the boundaries between fiction and glorification, leaving impressionable minds confused and desensitized. Social media, too, plays its part. Platforms like Instagram and Facebook have become theaters for performative lifestyles. People now chase virtual applause over real values, often leading to impulsive decisions, identity crises, and even criminal behaviour. The addiction to validation, likes, comments, fame, often pushes moral boundaries beyond repair.

Instead of raising voices against religion or gender, we should advocate for justice for the innocent. The increasing prevalence of vulgarity and the exposure of children to explicit content raises concerns about the future generation. In today’s world, both women and men face safety issues.  Social media has captivated individuals and manipulated their psychological well-being. Now, many strive for fame and a glamorous lifestyle, often losing touch with reality and resorting to criminal behaviour. We must not ignore pressing issues or focus our discussions on topics that need serious attention.

Wake-Up Call for the Future

Now, Children are growing up amidst screens that celebrate excess and ego. The lack of censorship, moral education, and empathy is breeding a generation more connected online than to their conscience. Both women and men face threats, physical, emotional, and social. It is time we should stop fighting over gender lines and start building a society that values humanity first. Stop excusing criminals based on gender. Stop generalising entire sex based on individual sins. Let’s rise above sensationalism and fight for something that truly matters: justice without bias.

If Justice Is Gender: Neutral, Criticism Should Be Too

Murder is murder, no matter who commits it. Every act of violence should be examined and punished. Using rare cases of women killing to question women’s rights or gender equality is misleading and harmful. This focus distracts from important discussions about abuse, power differences, and justice. Many women who kill their husbands do so after suffering years of psychological or physical abuse, though this doesn’t apply to all cases, nor is it always justified.

This situation isn’t new in India, but now these cases are becoming gender arguments on social media. Instead of discussing justice, people turn it into a fight between men and women. Some mock women’s rights or challenge the laws meant to protect them, while others become defensive, which only fuels the conflict. Turning a serious crime into social media posts makes the issue seem less important and unfairly blames all women for one person’s actions.