Narinder Virk: Cold blooded murder plotter or
'ultimate victim' of American justice system'?
R S Shankar
For many Indians, particularly Sikhs, across Los Angeles Narinder Virk has become a symbol of a bruised woman who needs to be released from jail to be treated by psychiatrists so that she could begin a new life with her two children. Upset that the court has set a $ 500,000 bail for the woman who has had no income of her own, community leaders and gurdwara authorities have launched a fund-raiser to set her free on a reduced bail.
Though less than $ 25,000 was reported to have been collected since the fund was set up about two weeks ago, her supporters feel the community will rally behind her and help her find a high-profile attorney. There is another fund that is also looking for contributions, and this one is meant to help the two children.
To the prosecutors 39-year-old Virk is a desperate woman, who following abandonment by her husband, sought to drown her two children and herself. She cannot be trusted to be out on bail, authorities say, pointing out that she has been on suicide watch since her arrest nearly a month ago.
Virk has pleaded not guilty to the charge of attempted premeditated murder. Her lawyer unsuccessfully pleaded with the court to lower the bail to $ 50,000.
Meanwhile, a couple that had saved the children and Virk from drowning was honored last week by the town of Port Hueneme. Brian Wiggins, a neighbor of the Virk family, says he thought the three were drowning when he heard the children crying on January 12 about two in the morning; he plunged into the harbor water, and pulled the three to the shore with his wife's help.
The couple set up a trust fund that has received nearly $ 4,000 from the community. The children are living with relatives.
Superior Court Judge Art Gutierrez recently refused to reduce the bail amount saying the charges against Virk were too serious. For many Sikhs who attended the bail hearing, the efforts to raise money for Virk recalled an earlier attempt to help another Indian American woman, Manjit Basuta, who was found guilty of shaking a baby in her care and causing his death. Her sympathizers, who hardly knew her, believed in her innocence, and opened their wallets and
pledged their homes for her bail which was set for about $ 1 million.
Now many Sikhs are coming forward offering to put up their property as collateral to have Virk released. They are also seeking to reduce charges against her and have started a petition drive. Deputy Public Defender Christina Briles, who is representing Virk, said she will present the petition, reportedly signed by more than 800 people to the district attorney's office before Virk appears in the court on Thursday, February 17, for a preliminary hearing.
Earlier, she had argued that Virk, who knew no English and hardly had any friends, was not going to be a flight risk. There were people in Los Angeles who were prepared to give her a place in their homes, she said, adding that they were also ready to take Virk to counselling. She described Virk as "the ultimate vulnerable person caught up now in our sophisticated high-rolling criminal justice system. The contrast is remarkable." There was a reason for Virk to snap on January 12, for she reportedly heard that day that her husband, Santosh Virk, who had returned to India, had sought to file for a divorce.
Among Virk's most visible supporters is Amarjit S Marwah, a highly regarded dentist and businessman who is considered dean of the Indian community in Los Angeles. Marwah had sought to offer the testimony in Virk's support in court, but the judge remained steadfast in his decision about the bail amount.
"This woman is not a murderer," Marwah told reporters. "She is a victim
of circumstances." He is convinced that she has been suffering from depression. Marwah told local newspapers that when people from his culture feel troubled, "they go to holy waters."
He said years of abuse led something to snap within her. Many women in the Indian community suppress their suffering as they have nowhere to go and share their personal tragedies.
But the prosecution has expressed doubt that Virk was a battered and abused wife.
If you are interested in contributing to the Harpreet and Sonny Virk Trust Fund, contact Lolini Teas at Cal Fed Bank, 739 W. Channel Islands Blvd., Port Hueneme, CA 93041.
Previous: Shyamalan, Nayar get Oscar nominations,
Nepal's Caravan tramples Mehta's Earth
Next: Nayar shines bright at Berlin Festival
Tell us what you think of this report
|
