Mahato, Carson cases marked by uneven responses
Vigil highlights lower-key reaction to Mahato death
By: Shuchi Parikh
Issue date: 3/25/08 Section: News
Last update: 3/25/08 at 6:18 AM EST
Last update: 3/25/08 at 6:18 AM EST
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The vigil was one example of how the community has responded to recent student murders in the area. Durham residents and members of the Duke community were present at the event, in addition to many local media outlets.
"I have so many things to say about him, but whatever I say is less," Tanmay Patni, Grad '07 and Mahato's roommate of 10 months, told the crowd. Mahato was shot and killed Jan. 18 in his home at The Anderson Apartments.
An initial memorial service was held Jan. 25 at Duke for Mahato, which The (Raleigh) News & Observer reported about 100 people attended, and a prayer was held at the Hindu Temple of North Carolina the following Sunday. Junior Akash Bansal, president of Duke's International Association, said the first service was quieter at the request of Mahato's deans, friends and relatives.
In contrast, several thousand gathered at two vigils held for Eve Carson, a senior and student body president at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The first vigil was March 6, one day after her body was found, and the second was March 18, after UNC's spring break.
Although the initial response to the Mahato murder was muted, Carson's death received significant national media and community attention immediately following the incident.
Gov. Mike Easley offered a reward of as much as $10,000 for any leads in the Carson case. Connie Eason in the special prosecutions division of the N.C. Department of Justice, said no reward was offered in Mahato's case because it is ongoing. She said there are two criteria for offering a governor's reward: the case must be closed with all leads exhausted, and there must be significant public outcry for more information.
The UNC board of trustees also offered $25,000 for any leads in the Carson case.
John Burness, senior vice president for public affairs and government relations, said Duke officials discussed offering a reward several days after Mahato's murder, but decided against it because Stephen Oates, 19, was arrested Jan. 23. and indicted Feb. 5 for the crime.
Viewing Comments 1 - 10 of 31
Reader
posted 3/25/08 @ 8:23 AM EST
On January 23rd there was a community forum at Duke University, during which Durham Police Chief Lopez announced the arrest of a suspect in the Mahato murder. (Continued…)
Another Duke int'l student
posted 3/25/08 @ 8:24 AM EST
The American invasion of Iraq has so far killed 20 times more Iraqi civilians than invading American troops. Has there been more vigils for the Iraqi victims than those for American soldiers? Of course not. (Continued…)
A friend
posted 3/25/08 @ 8:41 AM EST
great article, but Lovette has not yet been indicted in the death of Eve Carson.
Duke Alum
posted 3/25/08 @ 9:09 AM EST
Shame on Duke for not demanding more accountability from DPD. After the last few years, how could you passively accept a status report from DPD? Shame on Duke for not honoring Mahato at a basketball game as they did Eve Carson. (Continued…)
Duke Alum
posted 3/25/08 @ 9:10 AM EST
Shame on Duke for not demanding more accountability from DPD. After the last few years, how could you passively accept a status report from DPD? Shame on Duke for not honoring Mahato at a basketball game as they did Eve Carson. (Continued…)
Duke employee
posted 3/25/08 @ 9:58 AM EST
I was just waiting for The Chronicle to try this approach. There are discrepancies, but clear reasons as to why things were different in the two cases. (Continued…)
Fred
posted 3/25/08 @ 10:09 AM EST
Of course, Eve was someone who actively sought out to bring attention to herself by self-promotion wrapping herself in the UNC Blue and the public eye wherever possible, while Mahato was just a low-key computer science guy. (Continued…)
reader
posted 3/25/08 @ 10:25 AM EST
Both Eve and Mahato were wonderful people. With regard to news coverage, though, Eve as a student body president and UNC board member, Eve was far more prominent, was known by far more people, and understandably events about her got more attention. (Continued…)
kbp
posted 3/25/08 @ 11:07 AM EST
I sincerely doubt that either victim would have appreciated a difference in the head count of those mourning for them to have become topics in print.
Shuchi Parikh looks to have been following the N&O's Senior Editor Linda Williams in his search for something to write about. (Continued…)
The difference
posted 3/25/08 @ 12:13 PM EST
Notice how UNC immediately sent a private plane to pick up Carson's parents and get them to Chapel Hill?
Unable to afford travel to the U.S., Mahato's family was stuck in India unable to find out what was going on and were reduced to contacting the Indian Embassy in Washington for information. (Continued…)
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