India: Court issues death warrant in 2012 bus rape case

By Ahmad Adil

CHANDIGARH, India (AA) - An Indian court Tuesday issued death warrant for four people convicted in a 2012 gang rape and murder case that had outraged the Indian society, according to local media.

A New Delhi court set Jan. 22 as the day for hangings in Tihar Jail, the local daily Hindustan Times reported.

“The black warrant, formally called the ‘warrant of execution of a sentence of death, would, however, be put on hold or cancelled if the convicts exercise their right to appeal or file a mercy petition …” according to the daily.

It also said the court gave the convicts 14 days to use their legal remedies, including a curative petition in the Supreme Court or a mercy plea to the president.

Nirbhaya, a 23-year-old medical student, and her friend got on a private bus in New Delhi on Dec. 16, 2012. The two were attacked and Nirbhaya was gang-raped by six men. She was also beaten with an iron rod and her intestines were pulled out. She succumbed to her injuries in a Singapore hospital 13 days after the incident.

The victim was named as Nirbhaya as rape victims cannot be named under Indian law.

The family of the rape victim filed a plea to expedite the execution.

Speaking to Anadolu Agency, victim’s lawyer Seema Kushwaha hailed the court’s order.

“The family is happy with the verdict and I am also happy. It was important because it will set a deterrent for heinous crimes, which are being committed,” she said.

The outrage in India brought issues regarding women's security to the forefront in the biggest democracy of the world.

A total of six defendants stood trial in the case. Four of them, Mukesh, Akshay, Pawan, and Vinay, were convicted, while Ram Singh committed suicide while in custody. The sixth minor accused was released in November 2015 after spending three years in a correctional facility.