5 years after Nirbhaya gang-rape: Mother awaits justice, Ministers call for making the society safe

Nirbhaya, a para-medical student, was brutally gang-raped on the intervening night of December 16, 2012

IMAGE: PTI/ FILE

New Delhi: "Even after five years, her culprits are alive", Asha Devi, the mother of Delhi gang-rape victim said on the fifth anniversary of the horrific incident.

Even after 5 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 & mindset of everyone, be it a politician or a common man, needs to be changed: Asha Devi, Mother of #Nirbhaya pic.twitter.com/IsCFi4T5dA

— ANI (@ANI) December 16, 2017

She said "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", Nirbhaya, a para-medical student, was brutally gang-raped on the intervening night of December 16, 2012, in a moving bus in South Delhi. The incident took place while she was returning with a friend after watching a movie. She died 13 days after the incident at a hospital in Singapore. Of the six men arrested in the case, one of the accused Ram Singh hanged himself in prison in March 2013, while another man, who was a juvenile at the time of the crime, was convicted in August. Last year, he was released from the correction home after serve the maximum sentence of three years. The other four -- Akshay, Vinay Sharma, Pawan and Mukesh -- were found guilty and sentenced to death by the Delhi High Court in September 2013. The Supreme Court also upheld the high court's decision. Delhi Commission for Women Chief Swati Maliwal today urged the prime minister to bring in a legislation wherein at least those convicted of raping minors are given death penalty within six months.

निर्भया की 5वी बरसी पे @narendramodi जी को मेरा पत्र। 5 साल में कुछ न बदला। छोटी बच्चियों के बलात्कार के दोषियों को 6 महीने में फांसी का कानून पारित हो। केंद्र राज्य की हाई लेवल समिति दिल्ली में बने, जो गुंडाराज पे अंकुश लगाए। और निर्भया फंड को न खर्चपाने के पाप से भी मुक्त हो। https://t.co/lI3vj1kACF — Swati Jai Hind (@SwatiJaiHind) December 15, 2017

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee wrote on Twitter "Remembering #Nirbhaya on the 5th anniversary of brutal Delhi incident. We cannot compensate her loss but let us resolve to keep our society safe,"

Remembering #Nirbhaya on the 5th anniversary of brutal Delhi incident. We cannot compensate her loss but let us resolve to keep our society safe — Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) December 16, 2017

Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi on Friday said the One Stop Centre (OSC) scheme, aimed to support women affected by violence, will now focus on high-level training courses for women across the country. The first One Stop Centre was set up in Raipur, Chattisgarh under the Nirbhaya Fund. Currently, there are more than 151 One Stop Centres across the country. The railways have identified 983 railway stations for the installation of CCTV cameras using the Nirbhaya Fund, the Rajya Sabha was informed on Saturday. The fund was set up following an announcement in the 2013 Union Budget after the brutal gangrape of a Delhi girl on December 16, 2012. (with input from agencies)