Nirbhaya’s Parents Want ‘Juvenile’ Rapist’s Identity Revealed

Nibhaya’s parents feel the government failed to do justice to their family.

Nirbhaya’s mother breaks down while talking to The Quint. (Photo: The Quint)

Three years on, the parents of December 16 Delhi gangrape victim Nirbhaya continue their fight for justice.

Now, with the looming release of one of the rapists, who was a juvenile when the crime was committed and thus remanded to a juvenile home, Nirbhaya’s parents are demanding his identity be revealed to the world.

Tears rolling down her face, Nirbhaya’s mother talks of the time spent next to daughter’s bed at the ICU of Delhi’s Safdurjung Hospital; she speaks of Nirbhaya’s struggled to live. She talks of everybody claiming her daughter as India’s daughter and pride.

Yet the government is set to release the perpetrator a day before Nirbhaya’s third death anniversary.

The minor who was convicted in the gangrape and murder of Nirbhaya. (Photo: Reuters)

<p>The government is worried about the safety of the juvenile rapist. They feel that he could be killed if his picture is in public domain. But what about the safety of our society? Are we going to recognise him if he’s sitting next to us? </p>

<p><b>Nirbhaya’s mother</b></p>

The Quint had earlier reported that the rapist has no remorse for his crime and that the juvenile home failed to reform him.

Nirbhaya’s mother fears an attack on her and her family once he is released.

<p>I have spoken against him in media. He may try to quite me forever. I travel alone in public transport. Who will protect me?</p>

<p><b> Nirbhaya’s mother</b></p>

As Nirbhaya’s parents have become symbol of justice, many families of rape victims have approached them for help. But they feel that nothing has changed in the last three years; instead the number of minor rape victims has increased.

While the soon-to-be-released rapist served his sentence at a juvenile home, a year and a half ago the Supreme Court stayed the death penalty verdict against the other four men convicted of the crime. Since then, the matter has not come up for a single hearing.

Nirbhaya’s parents say justice delay is justice denied.

Nirbhaya’s father, outside his office at the Delhi International Airport (Photo: The Quint)

<p>We haven’t got justice yet. Those four convicts of death penalty have not been punished yet. Our government, our judiciary, everything is at fault. <br></p>

<p><b>Nirbhaya’s father</b></p>

Nirbhaya’s father had even appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi against the release of the juvenile rapist. But even though Modi assured him that things would fall into place, nothing has changed so far. The angry parents have also said it is unfortunate that Maneka Gandhi, the Minister of Women and Child Development, is showing her helplessness. Gandhi had earlier stated that the juvenile rapist must be released, but will be tried in an adult court if he commits another crime.

<p>So now our government and judicial system will wait to arrest till he rapes and murders another girl. That fateful night I was waiting for my daughter to come back home. But she never returned. I don’t want another mother go through what I went through because of this rapist.</p>

<p><b>Nirbhaya’s mother</b></p>

Despite these setbacks, Nirbhaya’s parents say that they will continue their protest against the release of the rapist.