8 years of Nirbhaya gangrape-murder case: Victim's mother Asha Devi says she will continue to fight for justice of all rape victims
Eight years after the brutal December 16 gangrape in Delhi, Nirbhaya's mother today said justice has been delivered to her daughter, adding she will continue to fight for justice for all rape victims. "Justice has been delivered to my daughter. But it doesn't mean that I will sit in silence. I'll continue to fight for justice to all rape victims," Asha Devi, mother of the 2012 Delhi gang-rape victim said today.
"Everyone together needs to raise their voice against rape," she said.
The four convicts in the Nirbhaya gangrape and murder case were hanged till death on March 20, 2020, ending a horrific chapter in India's long history of sexual assault that had seared the nation's soul. The accused - Mukesh Singh (32), Pawan Gupta (25), Vinay Sharma (26) and Akshay Kumar Singh (31) were executed at 5.30 am at Delhi's Tihar Jail.
Image shows four accused in Nirbhaya gangrape murder case being taken to a court before their hanging
Speaking further, Asha Devi said, "It has been 8 years today since the heinous crime against my daughter was committed. Our case was clear and still it took 8 years to get justice."
"The government and courts need to think about why it took so long, and make changes to the laws," she said.
Eight years ago on December 16, 2012, a 23-year-old physiotherapy student, later known as Nirbhaya (the fearless one), was gangraped by six men on a moving bus. Her male friend was also assaulted following which both of them were thrown on the road. Thirteen days later, Nirbhaya succumbed to her injuries.
Later, it was found that the attackers had inserted an iron rod inside her private parts that ripped her intestines apart. The brutality of the crime had sent shockwaves across the nation, leading to widespread protests and a drastic change in the country's rape laws.
Soon after the execution of the convicts on March 20, Nirbhaya's mother, in her first reaction had said she is satisfied with the action taken by the judiciary and that her daughter will rest in peace now.
Also Read | Nirbhaya case convicts refused breakfast, misbehaved with police personnel before hanging
8 years after Nirbhaya, Delhi reported 1,429 rape cases till Oct this year
Meanwhile, a report has shown Delhi witnessed as many as 1,429 cases of rape till October this year. In the same period last year, Delhi had reported 1,884 cases of rape, which went up to 2,168 cases by the time the year ended. In 2012, a total of 706 rape cases were registered, which included the brutal gangrape of Nirbhaya on December 16.
The Delhi police registered a total of 1,791 cases of assault on women with the intent to outrage their modesty till October this year. In comparison, 2520 cases were registered during the same period in 2019, which went up to 2,921 by the year-end. In 2012, a total of 727 cases were registered for the same offence.
A total of 2,226 women were kidnapped this year till October, against the figures of 2,988 reported in the same period in 2019. By the end of 2019, Delhi reported 3,471 cases of kidnapping of women. In 2012, a total of 2,048 cases of kidnapping of women were registered.
The Delhi police registered 1,931 cases under Section 498-A/406 of the IPC till October this year. During the same period last year, a total of 3,052 cases were registered, which went up to 3,792 by the time the year ended. In 2012, Delhi police had registered a total of 2,046 cases for cruelty by husbands and in-laws.
Delhi police have also registered 94 cases of dowry deaths till October this year, as against 103 cases of the same nature getting registered during the same period last year. In 2012, Delhi police had registered a total of 134 cases of dowry deaths.
