Hyderabad: The Nirbhaya rape case has sparked national disappointment and important discussions about women's safety and justice, serving as a sombre reminder of the harsh reality of sexual violence in India. This horrific episode, which happened on the night of December 16, 2012, rocked the nation's conscience and led to widespread rallies calling for structural changes to address the endemic issue of sexual assault as well as quick punishment against the culprits.
What happened on that day?
A young woman named Nirbhaya (a pseudonym meaning "fearless") was brutally attacked on a moving bus in Delhi on that fateful night. She and her male companion were tricked into getting aboard the bus, where she suffered severe injuries at the hands of several males. She was struggling for her life and was in severe condition due to the horrific nature of the attack, which included the use of iron rods.
What happened after that?
Nationwide outrage and demonstrations were sparked by the attack's extreme brutality. People from all walks of life staged protests in the streets, calling for immediate reforms to address the widespread problem of violence against women as well as justice for Nirbhaya. The event sparked a nationwide conversation about gender-based violence and the urgent requirement to protect women's rights through stronger legal frameworks and stricter legislation.
Nirbhaya’s death:
Nirbhaya bravely fought for her life, but on December 29, 2012, she passed away from her wounds at a Singaporean hospital after being transported there for specialised care. Her sudden and terrible death inflamed public sentiment even further, pushing the country to demand tough punishment for those responsible.
Accused’s profile:
As the accused's information became public, the brutality of the crime shocked the entire country. The group of six attackers, one of whom was a minor, brutally attacked Nirbhaya and her partner. The accused people were quickly found and put on trial.
Date-wise updates of Nirbhaya’s rape and murder case:
December 16, 2012: To get to their Dwarka residence, Nirbhaya and her companion Awindra Pratap Pandey boarded a charter bus at the Munirka bus stop. Six men, including the driver, took Nirbhaya to the back of the moving bus and gang-raped her. One of the perpetrators forced a rod into her vagina as she resisted, tearing and wrenching her intestines apart. Afterwards, the two were ejected from the bus. Raj Kumar then notified the Delhi police about the occurrence, and that same evening, a police control room van arrived and transported them to the Safdarjung Hospital. Rashmi Ahuja records Nirbhaya's remarks. This is regarded as the initial proclamation of death.
December 17, 2012: Vinay Sharma, Pawan Gupta, Mukesh, and driver Ram Singh were identified as accused. After Pandey stated to the police, an FIR was filed at the Vasant Vihar police station. Singh was taken into custody. He acknowledged his role in the crime and provided specifics.
December 18, 2012: As word of the tragedy circulated, protests became widespread. Vinay Sharma and Pawan Gupta were apprehended by Delhi police under the guidance of accused Ram Singh. Mukesh was captured in Rajasthan's Karoli district.
December 19, 2012: Vinay Sharma and Pawan Gupta, the accused, were subjected to test identification parade proceedings by Metropolitan Magistrate Sandeep Garg, but they declined to take part.
On December 20, 2012,during the test identification parade at Tihar Jail, Pandey recognised the accused, Mukesh.
December 21, 2012: A young person who was the fifth accused in the case was taken into custody at Delhi's Anand Vihar bus station. Akshay Kumar Singh, also known as Thakur, the sixth accused, was taken into custody and taken to Delhi from the village of Karmalahang in Aurangabad, Bihar. Nirbhaya gave her statement at the hospital, which was recorded by Sub-Divisional Magistrate Usha Chaturvedi.
December 25, 2012: Following section 164 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, Metropolitan Magistrate Pawan Kumar recorded Nirbhaya's statement using gestures upon the investigating officer's request (CrPC)
December 26, 2012: At Safdarjung Hospital, Nirbhaya's condition deteriorated. The medical team, which included P.K. Verma, Arun Batra, Sunil Kumar, Raj Kumar Chejara, and Sandeep Bansal, agreed to send her abroad for treatment. During the test identification parade, Pandey identified the accused, Akshay Kumar Singh.
On December 27, 2012, Nirbhaya was admitted to Singapore's Mount Elizabeth Hospital.
December 29, 2012: Nirbhaya succumbed to her injuries. A murder case was also included in the FIR.
March 11, 2013: Accused Ram Singh committed suicide at Tihar Jail.
March 20: Three prisoners' application for a stay of execution was denied by the Delhi High Court; the prisoners then petitioned the SC. During the pre-dwan hearing, Pawan Gupta's plea against the denial of his second mercy plea was rejected by the SC, effectively ending the case. At 5:30 am, the four prisoners were hung in the Tihar Prison.
Rape statistics by National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) from 2013:
2023- 31982
2021- 31677
2020- 28046
2019- 32033
2018- 33356
2017- 32559
2016- 38947
2015- 34651
2014- 36731
2013-33707
Other shocking rape cases after Nirbhaya :
Gudiya Gang rape case 2013: Manoj Shah and Pradeep Kumar were found guilty of violently raping a five-year-old girl at their rented Gandhi Nagar home in April of that year. The girl eventually went by the nickname Gudiya, which was not her genuine name. After being saved, the girl was discovered to have plastic bottles and candles inside of her body. Two victims of the fatal crime were involved in the Badaun Rape Case. Two young girls were abducted and killed in Katra Village, Badaun district, Uttar Pradesh, on May 27, 2014. The CBI declared after a protracted inquiry that there was no rape. The accused were set free. On the other hand, the POCSO court's rejection of the CBI close report on October 28, 2015.
Shakti Mills Rape Case: At the Shakti Mills in Mumbai, a 22-year-old photojournalist was raped by five men, one of them was a juvenile. At the time of the crime, the victim was interning in Mumbai for a magazine. On April 4, 2014, three of them received death sentences; the other two received life sentences in jail.
Jisha Rape Case: On April 28, 2016, Jisha, a 29-year-old female, was sexually assaulted and killed in her own home in Ernakulam, Kerala. The horrible act received a lot of attention on social media, and in an effort to assist Jisha receive the justice she deserves, the hashtag "Justice for Jisha" trended nationwide.
Unnao Rape Case: On June 4, 2017, a 17-year-old girl was sexually assaulted in Unnao, Uttar Pradesh, in a shocking incident. Kuldeep Singh Sengar, a former member of the BJP, was the perpetrator of the rape. On December 16, 2019, the rape case resulted in his conviction. He was given a life sentence on December 20, 2019. He was also found guilty of the murder of the rape-victim’s father.
Kathua Rape Case: The Kathua Rape Case is one of the most horrible cases possible. An eight-year-old innocent soul, was kidnapped, gang-raped, and killed. The heinous act was done in Jammu and Kashmir at the Rasana hamlet, which is close to Kathua. The girl was reported missing, and when the villagers discovered her lifeless body a kilometer from their village, they went in search of her. On April 16, 2018, a court trial was held in Kathua, following the arrest of the defendants. In April 2018, charges were filed against eight men.
Franco Mulakkal Rape Case: In June 2018, a nun alleged that she was raped 13 times by a priest named Franco Mulakkal between 2014 and 2016. The crime was committed in the Kottayam District of Kerala, and the nun visited a convent there several times. Three additional nuns later came forward to accuse the Bishop of having a sexual relationship. The congregation's superior general, however, firmly maintained that the Bishop is innocent. Pope Francis granted the rape-accused bishop's request for a leave of absence from his position as a bishop and pastoral responsibilities on September 20, 2018.
Disha Rape and Murder Case in Hyderabad: A 26-year-old Hyderabadi veterinary doctor viciously gang-raped, killed, and then discarded by the side of the road. The victim, a scooter rider, reportedly stopped at a toll plaza in Shamshabad, close to Hyderabad, according to the Telangana Police. Presuming to assist her, two lorry drivers and their helpers purposefully punctured her car, pulled her over to the side of the road, and shoved her into the bushes. The rapists later killed her after viciously grabbing hold of her. The Telangana Police claim that the rapist was slain during an altercation.
In December 2019, a 23-year-old woman in Unnao was burnt alive by her suspected assailants. On December 12, 2018, it is said that she was sexually assaulted at gunpoint by Shubham, the cousin of Trivedi, an upper caste man she had an affair with. She was upset because Shivam Trivedi, the main suspect in the rape case, who had been arrested in March 2019, had been released on bond on November 25, 2019, and had continued to threaten the victim. The victim left her home on that fateful December 4th to speak with her attorney about the case. The woman told the police that around 4 am, she was cornered by five males near Goura Chowk when she was about to catch a train. After stabbing and beating her with a stick, the accused doused her body with kerosene and lit her on fire. Later, on December 7, she passed away from her wounds.
Hathras Gangrape Case: A 19-year old Dalit girl was brutally gang-raped by four men who were from a caste considered ‘upper’ from that of the girl. The incident took place in Uttar Pradesh's Hathras. After being brought to a Delhi hospital, the rape victim died after two weeks. The rape victim was then cremated by UP Police officers without her family's consent or presence. UP Police were the target of large-scale protests in this case.
