Madhu - A scar on our humanity

Today, I want to take a moment to remember Madhu, a young Adivasi man from Kerala, whose tragic death in 2018 still breaks my heart. Madhu lived a hard life, he was poor, hungry, and struggling with mental health issues. One day, he was caught for stealing food, something as simple as rice and spices, likely because he was starving. But instead of helping him, a group of people tied him up, beat him, and humiliated him. Someone even took a selfie with him while he was suffering. Not long after, Madhu died.

This story is painful to think about. It’s not just about what happened to Madhu, it’s about what it says about us as a society. How did we become so cruel? How did we lose our ability to care for someone who was clearly in need? Madhu didn’t deserve this. No one does.

His death makes me ask tough questions: Why do we treat the poor and marginalized like they don’t matter? Why do we turn away when people need help? And why do we let anger or indifference take over when kindness is what’s needed most?

Madhu’s story reminds me that we need more empathy in this world. We need to see people for who they are, human beings with feelings and dignity. It’s easy to feel angry at what happened to him, but anger isn’t enough. We need to do better. We need to stand up for those who are vulnerable and make sure no one else suffers like Madhu did.

Today, let’s remember Madhu not just as a victim, but as a reminder of the kind of world we should be building: one where compassion and humanity come first. Let’s be kinder, more understanding, and never forget that every life matters.

Picture courtesy: Twitter