Rapist-killer in our midst: Shrinks decode man behind the mask
Times of India | 10 February 2025
12 Kolkata: There are people around us, apparently helpful and friendly with no criminal intent or record, who have developed a frightening indifference to pain, suffering, and the consequences of transgressing the law, say psychiatrists and psychologists. These are often people we trust, they have families and a social life, but could turn into brutal murderers or rapists triggered by an ‘indiscretion', which they don't regret. This complex behaviour is being increasingly observed among perpetrators of heinous crimes in and around Kolkata.
The accused in the rape-murder of a 13-year-old girl in New Town was apparently no-nchalant about the consequences of his actions and had no regrets about killing a child.
This indifference reflects traits of psychopathy or severe antisocial personality disorder (ASPD), said psychologist Soumya Mukherjee. "These individuals' emotional detachment and impaired impulse control make them capable of extreme violence without regret," Mukherjee said.
In cases like the New Town crime, where the accused displayed no remorse, it suggests a deep moral disengagement. Such behaviour may stem from neurological deficits, early-life trauma, or societal desensitisation to violence.
Such criminal tendencies develop over several years, and hence these acts are preceded by many similar acts that might have gone unnoticed, said Apollo Hospital psychiatrist Jai Ranjan Ram. "These people don't feel for others and are insensitive to others' pain and suffering. In the same vein, they are indifferent to their own well-being as well. Through their small actions, they often show such aggressive and cruel tendencies that expose their lack of empathy and kindness. Then, at an opportune moment, they display their worst, indulging in an act which they might have come very close to committing last time," Ram said.
What is indeed worrying is the growing number of such individuals among us, added Ram.
Such extreme acts occur when a person fails to exercise judgement between thought and action, said Charnock Hospital consultant psychologist Ankita Biswas Mitra. "Even non-criminal acts need judgement, but there is now an increasing number who don't bother or have not been trained to do it. The result is a growth in such heinous crimes. Also, the fear of consequences has to be drilled into the minds of these people. Unfortunately, there is an air of leniency towards these people," she said.
The society, too, has turned immune to horrific crimes, felt Ram. Mukherjee agreed, saying: "Cases like these highlight increasing societal desensitisation and weak deterrents. It's a cause for concern."
While multiple factors could lead to such behaviour, including poverty, exposure to violence and abuse from a young age, and proximity to criminals, what makes these offenders indifferent to consequences is their poor quality of life, said Ram.