Almost five years after a 23-year-old medical student was gang-raped and brutally tortured in a moving bus in Delhi, the Supreme Court has confirmed death for four convicts.
“It’s a barbaric crime and it has shaken the society’s conscience,” Justice R. Banumathi told a packed courtroom as a three-judge Supreme Court panel threw out an appeal on behalf of the defendants.
As per reports, applause broke out in court among relatives of the victim as judges explained that the crime met the “rarest of the rare” standard to justify capital punishment in India.
Parents of Nirbhaya welcomed the verdict of the Supreme Court
“I am very satisfied. Today I am happy,” the victim’s mother said.
Her father said: “It’s not just a victory for my family, it’s a victory for each and every woman in our country.“
Der lagi zarur lekin nyaay mila, ab koi gila nahi hai: Badri Singh, #Nirbhaya‘s father pic.twitter.com/3DBkDlCcxZ
— ANI (@ANI_news) May 5, 2017
Here’s how other prominent activists and politicians reacted to the landmark verdict
Finally a JUST closure in #Nirbhaya‘s case.While the memory of the brutal gangrape is still fresh in our minds.
It has a stronger deterrence— Kiran Bedi (@thekiranbedi) May 5, 2017
I am happy that the verdict has been upheld though I wish it had come sooner: Maneka Gandhi,Union Minister #Nirbhaya pic.twitter.com/Jiv3zM8Bg9
— ANI (@ANI_news) May 5, 2017
DCW welcomes SC decision. Finally, justice was delayed but not denied. Nirbhaya’s rapist will be served death penalty now. https://t.co/I9tGZQ9fFx
— Swati Jai Hind (@SwatiJaiHind) May 5, 2017
In principle I am against death penalty, but this was such a heinous crime that strictest punishment was needed: Brinda Karat,CPIM #Nirbhaya pic.twitter.com/YQb62fjjO9
— ANI (@ANI_news) May 5, 2017
Supreme Court’s decision in #Nirbhayaverdict reinstates a cause. We need to implement death penalty for rapists, nothing less.
— ShivrajSingh Chouhan (@ChouhanShivraj) May 5, 2017
Nirbhaya killers given death sentence. Those who Gangraped Bilkis Bano, killed her child, given life. Law is supreme. Or is it an ass?!
— Rajdeep Sardesai (@sardesairajdeep) May 5, 2017
Now that the verdict is in can we stop saying #Nirbhaya & say her name #Jyoti. Her mother has called for it. Stigma is of rapists, not women
— barkha dutt (@BDUTT) May 5, 2017
Is death a deterrent in either rape or terror cases?Remain a conscientious objector to death penalty. ‘Rarest of rare’ too selective. Agree?
— Rajdeep Sardesai (@sardesairajdeep) May 5, 2017
Still remember what doctors who first treated #Nirbhaya had told our reporter: “We haven’t seen anything like this in our career”
— Abhijit Majumder (@abhijitmajumder) May 5, 2017
