So Shaheen Dhadha has returned to Palghar. Her pallu is off and her Facebook is on. She’s radiant and seems like a young woman transformed. Only 21 years old, faltering India already regards her as a new Messiah.u00a0She stands tall, while a gaggle of goons stand weak. She basks in the sunshine of freedom while a city of loutish men hide in the darkness of contempt.

For what it’s worth, some justice has been served – the three cowering police inspectors have been suspended and the judge transferred. Some of the vandals who destroyed her uncle’s clinic have been arrested.u00a0And a massive public outcry has resulted in the police case being dropped. What that young girl must have dealt with on that murky Sunday evening – a poky Palghar police station, 2000 bullies demanding she apologise. Terrified, tormented, and alone she still manages to hold them off for two hours.u00a0Even when she does finally say sorry, she’s clear what she’s apologised for.