The gangrape that shocked and shook India: How the events unfolded
Four-and-a-half years after the brutal rape and murder of a 23-year-old para-medical student in a moving bus in South Delhi, the Supreme Court today (May 5) upheld the earlier order of death sentence to the four convicts in the Nirbhaya gangrape case.
#FLASH: Supreme Court upholds earlier order of death sentence to the four #Nirbhaya case convicts. pic.twitter.com/szTU2BUd4I
— ANI (@ANI_news) May 5, 2017
The apex court, on March 27, had reserved its verdict on the appeals of the four convicts against the conviction and death penalty awarded to them by the Delhi High Court on March 13, 2014.
According to agency reports, a bench comprising Justices Dipak Misra, R Banumathi and Ashok Bhushan delivered the judgment in the case that had exposed not just the dark truth of Delhi, but Indian perversity, how women are treated here and the veil of "Mera Bharat Mahan" that shrouds that ugly reality.
Sadly, nothing seems to have changed for women here despite all the tall promises. Women continue to live in fear. All those cries of protests got drowned only to arise sporadically every time one more woman/child falls prey to similar violence.
Why don't? women report rape? Even wire services won't acknowledge them as victims. https://t.co/9ieLCrcYHs
— Cathartic Screams (@Just_Screams) May 5, 2017
Below is a detailed timeline of the case:
December 16, 2012: A 23-year-old para-medical student raped and assaulted in a moving bus in South Delhi by six men, including a 17-year-old juvenile. The victim, along with her male friend, had boarded the bus chartered around 9.45 pm on the fateful night. The two were reportedly returning from a movie and looking for an auto-rickshaw when the bus stopped and offered to give them a ride.
Trouble started when the victim's friend noticed the route taken by the driver was different and the doors of the bus too were tightly shut. When he objected to that, a scuffle ensued between the victims and the others in the bus, leading to a bloody fight and the gangrape. While her friend was brutally beaten up, the woman was raped and assaulted with iron rods (inserted into her private parts). The two victims were then thrown on the road in a naked state near a flyover in Mahipalpur. A passerby reportedly saw and informed the police.
December 17, 2012: The morning after, the woman was admitted to the Safdarjung Hospital in a critical state. The incident led to massive protests for days. The Delhi Police arrested the main accused Ram Singh in case.
December 21, 2012: Massive protests broke out at India Gate and Raisina Hills, where men and women in thousands reached to express solidarity with the victims and demanded justice. The police had to resort to water cannon and tear gas shells to disperse the angry crowd. While some baton-charged, others were arrested. The police even closed down metro stations to prevent further protests and restricted the roads leading to India Gate and Raisina Hills. Also, CrPC Section 144 was imposed to avoid large gatherings of people. Besides, curfew was imposed near the presidential residence.
The incident evoked angry reactions from across the country, forcing politicians to join in. Then leader of Opposition, Sushma Swaraj, demanded death by hanging for the rapists. The then chief minister of Delhi, Sheila Dikshit, admitted that Delhi has become the rape capital and she did not have the heart to meet the victim or her family.
December 26, 2012: The victim was flown to Mount Elizabeth Hospital in Singapore after her health condition deteriorates.
December 29, 2012: She succumbed to her injuries in Singapore. The rapists charged with murdering her as well.
January 2, 2013: A fast-track court constituted to hear the case and chargesheet filed against all the five accused.
March 11, 2013: Main accused Ram Singh committed suicide in Tihar jail.
August 31, 2013: The Juvenile Justice Board (JJB) found the minor accused guilty of raping and murdering the victim. Juvenile sentenced to three years in special home.
September 13, 2013: Four accused — Mukesh, Pawan, Vinay Sharma and Akshay Kumar Singh — sentenced to death.
March 13, 2014: The Delhi High Court upheld the trial court verdict of death for the convicts.
March 15, 2014: The Supreme Court stayed the execution of the convicts after the latter allege denial of fair trial.
December 18, 2015: The juvenile convict walked out free after spending three years in correction home.
April 3, 2016: The Supreme Court began hearing into the Nirbhaya case.
August 29, 2016: Advocate ML Sharma, representing the convicts, alleged police tampered with the evidence, broke down into tears in the courtroom.
February 3, 2017: The Supreme Court decided to hear the case again for sentencing after complaints were raised that there have been violations in the procedure.
March 27, 2017: The court reserved verdict after hearing the case for nearly a year.