Firecrackers Set Off Outside Bilkis Bano's House In Gujarat As SC Cancels Convicts' Remission: Watch

People burst crackers outside the residence of Bilkis Bano after the Supreme court cancelled the Gujarat government's remission order of the 11 convicts in her gang-rape case.

People bursting crackers outside Bilkis Bano's residence in Gujarat's Devgadh Baria after the Supreme Court judgment

Source : ANI

Residents of Devgadh Baria in Gujarat erupted with joy on Monday after the Supreme Court ruled in favour of Bilkis Bano on her plea challenging the early release of the 11 convicts in her gang-rape case. In a video shared by news agency ANI, some people could be seen bursting crackers outside Bano's residence to celebrate the verdict. 

On Monday, the top court cancelled Gujarat's government order that allowed the early release of the Bilkis Bano gang-rape convicts, who were awarded life imprisonment in 2008. The apex court also ordered the covincts to surrender before the jail authorities within two weeks. 

#WATCH | Firecrackers being burst outside the residence of Bilkis Bano in Devgadh Baria, Gujarat.

Supreme Court today quashed the Gujarat government's decision to grant remission to 11 convicts in the case of gangrape of Bilkis Bano. SC directed 11 convicts in Bilkis Bano case… pic.twitter.com/T7oxElwgcY

— ANI (@ANI) January 8, 2024

A witness in the case also hailed the Monday ruling by the top court saying Bano received "justice today". 

"I am one of the witnesses in the case. These 11 convicts were handed the punishment by a Maharashtra court. The Gujarat government's decision to release them was wrong. That is why we challenged it in court," Abdul Razaq Mansuri, one of the witnesses in the case currently living in Devgadh Baria town, told reporters, according to PTI. 

"I am happy that the SC has quashed the Gujarat government's decision and asked the convicts to surrender. I feel that we have received justice today," he added.   

Some distant relatives of Bano who are settled in Dahod district's Devgadh Baria also burst firecrackers to welcome the decision.

Bilkis Bano was 21 years old and five months pregnant when she was gang-raped while fleeing the horrors of the communal riots following the train burning incident in Godhara in 2002. Seven members of her family including her three-year old daughter were killed in the riots.