The Delhi murder case spotlights sensationalism as an ethical issue in the media

The media’s callous approach towards covering the Delhi murder case is a reminder that we live in an age of sensationalism

Trigger Warning: Details of abuse, trauma, murder. 

The recent headlines surrounding the gruesome murder of Shraddha Walkar by her live-in partner Aftab Amin in New Delhi are a grim reminder that when it comes to breaking news in journalism, sensationalism indeed sells. We might be entering 2023 but the media coverage of the murder case remains dated—with the emphasis on the number of pieces that the accused chopped the body into, the last fight they had, how he kept her severed head inside a refrigerator at home, and how he would bring other women back to the apartment while her corpse lay in cold storage. In the midst of all the coverage, not only has there been an utter disregard for the victim's identity, but statements by her family, including her parents, are being circulated with no concern for their right to privacy.

More than a voyeuristic gaze

However, this voyeuristic gaze is emblematic of something deeper. Arshia Dhar, a senior journalist who has covered farmer suicides, ritual killings and crime at large for news outfits such as NDTV,Outlook and Firstpost among others, tells The Established that we miss out on a lot in our interpretation when we fail to view such crimes as gender crimes. 

“When the victim is a woman or someone who isn’t a cishet male, the focus is on what has been done to the body and almost always on how the body was treated,” she says. “In such cases, when a perpetrator is male, at least in the stages of the investigation, the lens is almost never on him. It’s not seen as a crime rooted in skewed gender dynamics.” 

Dhar cites how graphic descriptions of the 2012 Delhi gangrape case went viral, particularly what was done to the victim’s body. There was little to no emphasis on the rapists themselves—their background or the motivations for their crime. When Leslee Udwin’s documentary, India’s Daughter, attempted to shed light on the perpetrators, it was banned. The reasons for the ban, however, were more about how Udwin had not sought permission to interview one of the convicts.

“In the Sheena Bora murder case, the spotlight was entirely on Indrani Mukerjea, not on Peter Mukerjea, who was equally culpable,” adds Dhar. “And we all know about the  witch hunt Rhea Chakraborty was subjected to.” 

A vicious circle 

Clinical psychologist Jasleen Sachdev believes it’s becoming incredibly difficult to strike a balance between useful information and that which is triggering.  The avenues of audiences feeling overwhelmed are many. “For someone who is already diagnosed with a mental health illness or whose trauma is similar to the news, it can also severely impact their eating and sleeping patterns.”

Sachdev elaborates that when we tune in to the news, it’s usually about things we can’t control, which leads to feelings of unease and ambiguity; in that sense, you don't only start worrying about the contents of the piece of news, you worry about your own life. “It is critical for journalists to stick to the facts and show consideration for the people being reported about, including their privacy. It’s about factual retelling and not focusing on building the person's character in the story. These news articles should be accompanied by links to resources for help.” 

Skewed gender dynamics

According to Dhar, the unsaid rules of crime reporting merit that the reporter has the explicit consent of the victims or those aggrieved. “Why is it important to highlight that he chopped her body into 35 pieces? It’s being reported like a Netflix documentary,” she says.

In her own experience, Dhar says that she “can testify to the fact that cops give selective information,” and the entire toxic chain flows from the same. This selective information depends, again, on the gender of the victim involved. In the suicide case of actor Sushant Singh Rajput, we were fortunately spared the gory details of how he died. However, in the suicide case of actor Jiah Khan, the details were vivid.

“This is the reason I stepped back from crime reporting,” Dhar says. “It’s systemic because even if you personally might want to write headlines that are sensitive and ethical, there will be someone at the network level who will sensationalise them.”

In this context, the headline that says ‘Walkar’s head was put in the fridge and he would look at it,’ would clearly garner page views as opposed to a comparatively muted headline. However, the blame squarely falls on us, as consumers, too. On almost all Instagram posts of Walkar, the comments reek of ridicule. In one of her pictures, where she is seen walking in the woods, a troll writes that she must be finding her own chopped body parts. Where does this level of hatred eventually lead us? And where does it end? It’s clearly a toxic loop that is endless, feeding into our innermost, basest emotions. 

If you, or someone you know, is considering suicide, help is available. Call 1-800-273-8255 to speak with someone now or text START to 741741 to message with the Crisis Text Line.

Also Read: The caste-blindness in the Supreme Court’s economic reservation case verdict

Also Read: Why do urban Indians have a hard time understanding consent?

Also Read: The misplaced brownness of Rishi Sunak