Nirbhaya death anniversary: India remembers its 'fearless daughter' six years after incident that shamed us
The brutal and inhumane incident triggered outrage all across the country and sparked a new debate about women's safety in India and resulted in strict changes to the country's rape laws which now allows for the death penalty in some rape cases.
Six years back on this date, a horrifying crime was committed which sent shockwaves across the country. A 23-year old paramedical student was gang-raped in a moving bus in Delhi and thrown out of the vehicle along with her male friend.
She later died in a hospital in Singapore. The incident had triggered outrage and protests across the country. She subsequently came to be known as 'Nirbhaya', the fearless.
All the six accused were arrested and charged with sexual assault and murder. While one of the accused hanged himself in prison, another accused, a juvenile then, was given the maximum sentence of three years' imprisonment in a reform facility.
The other four were found guilty of rape and murder and later sentenced to death.
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The brutal and inhumane incident triggered outrage all across the country and sparked a new debate about women's safety in India and resulted in strict changes to the country's rape laws which now allows for the death penalty in some rape cases.
Speaking to news agency ANI, on the sixth anniversary of the brutal incident, mother of Nirbhaya Asha Devi expressed disappointment over the failure of law and order situation in the country and also requested all the parents to not deprive their girls of education, adding that the girls should never consider themselves weak.
"Culprits in a criminal case like this are still alive. It's a failure of law and order situation. We want to tell the girls everywhere to not consider themselves weak and request parents to not deprive their girls of education", she said.
KEJRIWAL, MAMATA BANERJEE REMEMBER NIRBHAYA
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal remembered Nirbhaya and pledged to ensure a strong struggle for women safety "despite all hurdles".
"Six years ago on this day one of the most brutal and worst crime was committed in the history of Delhi.
"Only way to keep the brave Nirbhaya alive in our minds is to ensure a strong struggle for women safety despite all hurdles in our way," Kejriwal said on Twitter.
Meanwhile, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee urged people to make the country a better place for women.
Banerjee took to Twitter to ask people to stop violence against women.
"Today is the sixth anniversary of the horrific Delhi Nirbhaya case. The incident shook the country. As a society, we must make this country a better place for women. Say no to violence against women," she tweeted.