Nirbhaya case: Delhi court sets March 20 as the final date of execution of 4 convicts

One of the most catastrophic incidents in the history of this country, the brutal gang rape of “Nirbhaya” took the nation by a shock in 2012. Thousands of people thronged the streets of Delhi after the heinous rape case. protests lasted for weeks and the entire country stood united in a mission to punish rapists of Nirbhaya.

seven years after seeking justice for Nirbhaya, Delhi court has issued fresh death warrants for the hanging of four convicts in the 2012 Delhi gang-rape case. Four convicts are scheduled to be executed on 20 March at 5:30 am at Tihar jail. This is the fourth death warrant issued by a Delhi court.

Victim’s mother expressed her views on the verdict, stating that “I hope this is the final date and they would be hanged on March 20. While dying Nirbhaya asked to ensure they get such punishment that such crime is not repeated ever”.

The case has been running for the past seven years but the victim’s mother is still waiting for justice for her daughter. Why did it take so many years? ever since the court issued death warrants for four convicts, Nirbhaya rape and murder convicts have been continuously filing mercy plea before the President of India.

Earlier, Nirbhaya rape and murder convict Pawan Gupta filed a fresh mercy plea before the President of India after a five-judge bench of SC rejected his curative petition. This is how the case lasted so many years. The mercy petitions of three convicts — Mukesh, Vinay and Akshay — have already been dismissed by the President.

The incident took place on the night of 16 December 2012 when the victim and her friend were returning home after watching the movie. They boarded a bus from south Delhi. Her friend was beaten and she was brutally raped by a gang of four people while the bus was running and she was tortured with an iron rod. They then threw her on the road, naked and bleeding.

The final date of execution has now been given by a Delhi court. Everyone is now waiting for 20 March with a hope that all four convicts will be executed.

Writer, historian, and activist Dharam Sikarwar is a very active author The Youth. He writes on national and international issues, environment, politics. He is an avid book reader as well.