December 16 gang rape victim's parents detained, police deny

New Delhi, Dec 19: The parents of the December 16, 2012 gang rape victim said Delhi Police on Saturday detained them for protesting outside the reformation home against the release of the juvenile convict. Police, however, denied they were detained.

They were protesting outside the reformation home in Majnu Ka Tilla where the juvenile was remanded after the Juvenile Justice Board sent him for reformation for three years.

"We all were forcefully dumped in a bus and kept at the Maurice Nagar police station under detention for half an hour. We were later allowed to go," the gang rape victim's father Badrinath told IANS.

Delhi Police, however, denied the allegation, saying the gang rape victim's parents were not detained.

"We did not detain the gang rape victim's parents. We gently asked them to leave the place. They themselves were ready to board the police bus along with other protesters. They were taken to the Maurice Nagar police station and were free to go," Deputy Commissioner of Police Madhur Verma told IANS.

Meanwhile, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal termed the detention a "shocking" incident.

"I am shocked to learn that Nirbhaya's parents have been detained. They should immediately be released," Kejriwal tweeted.

In another tweet, Kejriwal said: "Police action against Nirbhaya's parents is unacceptable. I have asked chief secretary to talk to police commissioner and get them released."

Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) chief Swati Maliwal also said: "It is too much. Why has police detained Nirbhaya's parents. They have all right to peacefully protest. They should be immediately released."

The convict is now 20 years old. He was a juvenile in 2012 when he along with five other accused committed the gang rape in a moving bus in the capital.

The court found him guilty of raping and assaulting the victim along with five accomplices.

Sources said the juvenile was shifted to some undisclosed location a day before his release on Sunday.

IANS