Five years after Nirbhaya gang-rape and murder: Brave mother’s long wait for justice

On the fifth anniversary of 2012 Delhi gangrape and murder case, Nirbhaya's mother demanded execution of the four accused at the earliest.

New Delhi, Dec 16: Nothing has changed since the brutal gang-rape and murder of the 23-year-old paramedic student inside a bus on December 16, 2012 in Delhi.

The brutally of the incident so much shocked the entire nation that people came out on the streets to protest against sexual violence against women.

A few months later, in March 2013, the then United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government at the Centre gave India a new anti-rape law-- the Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, 2013--related to sexual offences.

Did a new law brought down sexual offences against women? No, not at all. Rapes and gang-rapes continue to happen in the country with shocking frequency. The saddest part is that the mother of Nirbhaya (the name given to December 16 victim) is still waiting for justice.

"Even after five years, her culprits are alive. If justice isn't served on time, people cease to be scared of law. A strong law needs to be formulated and mindset of everyone, be it a politician or a common man, needs to be changed," Asha Devi, mother of Nirbhaya, was quoted as saying by ANI.

In fact in November, Asha Devi raised pertinent questions regarding the delay in execution of four of the six accused in the case. On May 5, the Supreme Court upheld the death penalty awarded to the four convicts in the Nirbhaya gang-rape and murder case by the Delhi High Court.

Two of the convicts in the horrific case--Vinay Sharma and Pawan Kumar Gupta--moved the apex court for review of its verdict upholding the capital punishment awarded to them.

The top court, on December 12, had allowed the counsel to file review petition for another convict Akshay Singh and listed the matter for hearing on January 22.

Exactly five years ago, on the fateful night of December 16, six persons, including a juvenile, brutally assaulted and raped Nirbhaya in a moving bus in the national capital. The male friend of the 23-year-old woman, who was with her, was also beaten badly by the accused. Later both were thrown off the bus.

In spite of all the attempts to save the victim, thirteen days after the incident, she succumbed to her injuries in a Singapore hospital.

The four convicts--Pawan, Vinay, Mukesh Singh and Akshay Kumar Singh--were awarded death sentence by the Delhi High Court. The fifth accused, Ram Singh, committed suicide in jail. The juvenile accused has been released after completing mandatory probation period in a remand home.

In November, even the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) issued a notice to Tihar Jail Administration and Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) South District, questioning the delay in execution of death penalty to rapists.

Urging Prime Minister Narendra Modi to create a stringent law to punish rapists, DCW chief Swati Jai Hind said, "At least when minor girls are raped there should be a law in this country in which such rapists should be punished and given death penalty within six months. This should be done in all the cases and we are requesting the Prime Minister to create a law which is there for the entire country in this regard."

Now, it needs to be seen when the four accused in the case would be executed as asked by the apex court. On the fifth anniversary of the dreaded episode, all Indian women and girls demand better safety mechanisms to be in place to make themselves feel safe inside and outside their homes.

The female population of India wants society to change their attitude towards women and girls to make the country a better place to live in.

OneIndia News