Nirbhaya's killers to hang on 22nd January, 7 am

New Delhi, Jan 07: The Delhi court on Tuesday issued the death warrant against all four convicts in the brutal gang-rape and murder of Nirbhaya that shocked the entire nation in 2012. The execution to be held on 22nd January at 7 am. Seven years after the heinous crime finally justice has been served to the bereaved family of Nirbhaya.

The court also said that the convicts can use their legal remedies within 14 days.

Nirbhaya's parents sought to expedite the procedure to hang the four convicts and also sought the issuance of a death warrant against them.

Nrbhaya's father said, "I am happy with the court's decision. The convicts will be hanged at 7 am on 22nd January; This decision will instill fear in people who commit such crimes."

Reportedly, during the proceedings today the prosecutor urged the court to issue death warrants to convicts. The court informed by the lawyers of convicts that they are in the process of filing a curative plea.

Nirbhaya's mother pleaded for the death penalty to be issued soon against the four convicts.

On December 18, before the court adjourned for the winter vacation it ordered that the hearing on the issuance of death warrants against the four convicts in the Nirbhaya gangrape-and-murder case will be done on January 7, 2020.

The four convicts in the Nirbhaya case -- Pawan Gupta, Akshay Thakur, Mukesh Singh, and Vinay Sharma -- are on death row for two years.

Earlier, Nirbhaya's mother was visibly upset with the Delhi court as it refused to issue a death warrant. The court, however, explained that there was a due process of law that was involved as per which the convicts were entitled to file a mercy petition.

On the other hand, earlier the Tihar Jail authorities issued notices to the convicts about the mercy petition. As per the procedure, the convicts have seven days to file a mercy petition before the President of India.

The paramedic student was raped on the intervening night of December 16-17, 2012, inside a running bus in south Delhi by six persons and severely assaulted before being thrown out on the road. She died on December 29, 2012, at Mount Elizabeth Hospital in Singapore, where she was airlifted from Delhi for treatment.

Of the six people convicted in the case, one was a minor, who was sent to a rehabilitation center, and another, Ram Singh, committed suicide in the Tihar Jail.