Death Penalty-Right or Wrong

This incident occurred several years back. He was a young Doctor (Physician). He was from a poor family, and due to his intelligence and hard work, he became one of the efficient doctors of that town. He had lot of concern for the poor people and he collected only a minimum amount to treat them.He was living in a small house near to the dispensary, with his wife and six year old daughter. He was very pious, but also a strict disciplinarian. On that fateful midnight, the doctor was in deep sleep. Somebody knocked the door. Disturbed by that the doctor got down from his bed and rushed to the entrance. He thought that somebodywas there seeking his urgent assistance. He opened the door.Three persons were standing there, covering their face with black kerchiefs. As soon as the doctor opened the door they bounced upon him with lengthy knives in their hands.Even before knowing what was happening the doctor was murdered . Hearing his trembling voice his wife rushed to the spot and tried to save him. She was also brutally assaulted and murdered. The culprits escaped from there. Only in the next morning through a milk vendor , the incident came into light. Immediately Police was informed.As a part of my duty I was also accompanied Revenue Divisional Officer for the preliminary enquiry.. The scene I saw there was really heart melting. The doctor and his wife were laying on the ground in a pool of blood. Their six year old daughter was crying, without knowing what to do. Immediately special police forces were formed to nab the criminals and within three days all the culprits were arrested. One of the culprit was an ex employee of the doctor’s dispensary who was dismissed by the doctor on disciplinary grounds. As a revenge to this, with the help of his friends he executed this gruesome murder. The case went to the Court. After lapse offour years the final judgement was given, awarding death sentence to all the three.

Two days ago I gone through a news item in the new papers. A beggar, who boarded in the ladies compartment of a train, snatched the hand bag of a lady and tried to escape. The lady caught hold of him and fought to get back the bag. The beggar pushed the lady from the running train and he also jumped out of the train. The lady who fell down was severely wounded and became unconscious. The beggar came near to her and not even an animal will do that – she raped that lady and murdered her. Now the beggar was also sentenced to death by the court. .

We with our friends discussed about these judgements. Some of my friends opined that death penalty should be abolished saying that murder could not be a punishment for murder. Some other said that what would be the suitable punishment to this type of gruesome murderers, if not death sentence. I could not come to a conclusion.

The scene I saw on that day of murder shadowed in my heart. I was hearing the crying of that six year old innocent daughter of that couple. What happens to the lady in the train brings tears from my eyes even now. I cant come to a conclusion- death penalty justifiable or not. Can you?