By Sonu Tyagi, Founder, Go Spiritual & Approach Entertainment
In the quiet corners of Maharashtra, two harrowing incidents have recently shattered the illusion of societal progress, reminding us of the deepening shadows in the human soul. Just days ago, a debt-burdened man in Latur orchestrated a chilling murder: he lured a vulnerable, intoxicated stranger into his car, set the vehicle ablaze with the man inside, all to fake his own death and claim a Rs 1 crore insurance payout. This act of calculated cruelty, driven by financial desperation, wasn’t an isolated outburst but a premeditated betrayal of basic human empathy. Even more disturbing, in Pune’s Rajgurunagar, a Class 10 student walked into a coaching class, sat behind his classmate amid an ongoing lecture, and slit the boy’s throat in a fit of rage stemming from petty arguments—leaving the victim to bleed out despite frantic efforts to save him. The perpetrator, a mere teenager, fled the scene, highlighting how violence has infiltrated the innocence of youth. These are not anomalies; they are symptoms of a profound malaise afflicting humanity today. As the founder of Go Spiritual, an organization dedicated to fostering inner peace and ethical living, I am compelled to ask: Why are we becoming so cruel? Why has anger consumed us to the point of killing one another, and worse, why is this poison seeping into the hearts of our children?
At the core of this cruelty lies a spiritual void—a disconnection from the divine essence that unites us all. In ancient Indian wisdom, as echoed in the Bhagavad Gita, the soul (Atman) is eternal and interconnected with the universal consciousness (Brahman). Yet, in our modern rush toward materialism, we’ve severed this bond. We chase wealth, status, and instant gratification, viewing others not as fellow souls on a shared journey but as obstacles or tools. The Latur incident exemplifies this: burdened by Rs 57 lakh in loans, the perpetrator saw a helpless drunkard not as a human being deserving compassion, but as a disposable means to an end. This dehumanization stems from a loss of dharma—righteous living—replaced by avarice and ego. Spirituality teaches us that true fulfillment comes from within, through practices like meditation and self-reflection, which cultivate ahimsa (non-violence) and karuna (compassion). Without this anchor, humans drift into cruelty, justifying harm as a shortcut to survival or success.
But why are we killing each other? The answer weaves through layers of societal decay and unchecked anger. Our world is a pressure cooker of expectations: economic instability, cutthroat competition, and social media’s relentless comparison game fuel resentment. People feel trapped, invisible, and powerless, leading to explosive outbursts. Anger, in spiritual terms, is the manifestation of tamas—the dark inertia of ignorance—that clouds judgment and erodes empathy. We’ve become so angry with the world because we’ve internalized its chaos: inequality widens, trust erodes, and isolation deepens in an era of digital connectivity that paradoxically leaves us lonelier. When individuals like the Latur man, drowning in debt, see no spiritual or communal lifeline, they lash out, projecting their inner turmoil onto innocents. This cycle of violence begets more violence, as unresolved rage festers into hatred. From a humanitarian perspective, we’re failing each other by prioritizing profit over people—governments and communities often overlook the root causes, treating symptoms with punishment rather than prevention through education in ethics and emotional intelligence.
This cruelty has alarmingly trickled down to our children, turning playgrounds and classrooms into battlegrounds. The Pune tragedy, where a boy barely out of childhood committed murder over “several days of arguments,” underscores how violence has reached kids. Children are mirrors of society; they absorb the aggression around them—from violent video games and media glorifying brutality to parental stress and peer gang dynamics. Locals noted minors involved in “gang activities” with frequent fights, a pattern echoed in a similar November incident in Pune where a Class 9 student attacked a classmate with a broken bottle over a school event dispute. Why this shift? Spirituality offers insight: without early grounding in values like satya (truth) and shanti (peace), young minds succumb to rajas—the restless energy of desire and conflict. Schools focus on academics, but neglect soul-nurturing—teaching kids to compete rather than collaborate, to suppress emotions rather than process them. This breeds bullies and victims, where trivial disputes escalate into lethal acts because children lack the spiritual tools to forgive or empathize.
Mental health issues amplify this crisis, acting as the silent accelerant to cruelty. In a fast-paced world, anxiety, depression, and trauma are rampant, yet stigmatized. The Latur perpetrator’s desperation likely stemmed from untreated financial stress, which can manifest as severe anxiety or depressive disorders, warping rational thought into criminality. Similarly, the teenage killer in Pune may have been grappling with unresolved anger from bullying or family pressures, common triggers for adolescent mental health breakdowns. According to global trends, youth mental health has deteriorated post-pandemic, with isolation and screen addiction exacerbating conditions like oppositional defiant disorder or conduct disorder. Without intervention—therapy, counseling, or spiritual practices like yoga and pranayama that regulate the mind—anger turns inward, then outward in violent eruptions. Humanity suffers because we’ve medicalized mental health without integrating spiritual healing: mindfulness meditation, for instance, has been shown to reduce aggression by fostering self-awareness and emotional regulation. Yet, access remains limited, especially in rural or underprivileged areas like those in these incidents.
We must reclaim our humanity through spirituality. Go Spiritual advocates for a return to basics: daily sadhana (spiritual practice) to quiet the mind, community satsangs (gatherings) to build bonds, and education in vedanta to understand our shared divinity. Imagine if the Latur man had turned to inner reflection instead of murder—recognizing that true wealth is peace, not money. Or if the Pune boy had learned conflict resolution through compassionate dialogue, rooted in spiritual empathy. We need systemic change: integrate mental health support with spiritual curricula in schools, promote workplace wellness programs blending therapy and meditation, and foster societal dialogues on forgiveness over retribution.
In closing, these tragedies are wake-up calls. Humanity isn’t inherently cruel; we’ve simply forgotten our spiritual core amid the noise of modernity. By addressing anger through self-inquiry, tackling mental health with holistic approaches, and nurturing compassion in our youth, we can halt this descent. Let us choose light over darkness— for in the words of the Upanishads, “Asato ma sad gamaya” (Lead me from the unreal to the real). It’s time to heal, not harm. Join us at Go Spiritual in this journey toward a kinder world.
Sonu Tyagi Intro: Sonu Tyagi, the visionary leader behind Go Spiritual and Approach Entertainment, is dedicated to enriching lives by merging spirituality with artistic innovation. A seasoned writer, director, and producer, Tyagi has left a notable mark on advertising films, music videos, web series, feature films, and branded entertainment. Through Approach Entertainment, he guides a dynamic organization renowned for its expertise in celebrity management, film production, advertising, corporate films, film marketing, and event management. He also oversees Approach Communications, a leading PR and integrated communications agency, and Approach Bollywood, a specialized outlet for Bollywood and entertainment news.
Visit at www.gospiritualindia.org & www.approachentertainment.com
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