Nirbhaya- A Tale of Tears

A pic showing Nirbhaya, before the attack(right) and after the attack (left)

If PAIN was an abbreviation then its expanded form would look something like “Plethoric Agony of Innocent Nirbhaya”. I hope everyone remembers who Nirbhaya was? The unfortunate girl who was at the receiving end of brutality showcased by a breed whom some people still call humans. Really astonished to know that they are yet to be hanged.

So, let's turn the tide back and look at the series of events from that day till day(15 Dec 2015). That day was also has the same date as today except for the year column which reads 2012. On that unfortunate Sunday evening, Nirbhaya along with her friend, had planned to spend some time together. They went to an evening show of the then famous "Life of PI" movie, post which they were wondering on how to head back home. It was then that misery struck, and struck them really hard.

They were unable to neither get any local transit nor was any auto driver ready to drop them at their destination and then they saw a bus heading their way. The bus halted in close proximity. Both of them figured out that although it was a private bus but still had a few passengers. They boarded the bus with a sigh of relief that at least it would reduce the distance to their destination if not make them reach their destination. This turned out to be the biggest mistake of both their lives. Little did they know that the bus they boarding into had no other passengers and the rest who pretended to be passengers were all of the same inhuman gang who had already robbed a poor person who had boarded their bus before Nirbhaya and her friend. Although the person who had boarded the bus prior to Nirbahya and her friend did inform two police officials who were on rounds, about the robbery and also the fact that they were all drunk. The two cops paid little heed to his words and in fact suggested him that "complaints are not lodged on road, so better visit a nearby police station" and zoomed of on their motor bikes.

Meanwhile in the bus the goons including driver and the so called "juvenile" had started teasing Nirbhaya and her friend. It was then that her friend protested and demanded an immediate halt. The goons snatched their mobiles, wallets and started beating up Nirbhaya's friend brutally. The driver hit him hard on his head with a rod and he fell unconscious. Poor Nirbhaya cried out for help but since the glasses of the bus were jam packed no one could either hear nor see her from outside. After her friend, it was now Nirbhaya's turn to suffer. They started by gang raping her and then it didn't at all stop there. They were all bent upon maximizing the pain on hapless Nirbhaya. The so called juvenile went to the in human extent of inserting rod in her private part and was repeatedly screaming "mar saali" (die you *******). Even though Nirbhya, who was in tears pleaded for her life promising that she will not tell anyone of the incident none of them felt pity at her condition. In fact all those sadists were ecstatic to see Nirbhaya on her heels pleading them. Finally after they felt that had pinned down their opponents they decide to throw them off their bus in the chilling cold with no clothes on both of their victims.

Nirbhaya laid unconscious but her friend recovered and started pleading for clothes and a trip to hospital. Many people did pass by and saw them but didn't stop to help them. It was after around an hour that a good soul arrived to their rescue. He took them to hospital and the doctor who saw Nirbhaya for the first time said "this is not rape this is madness".

Soon the news of this unfortunate event spread not only throughout Delhi but whole of India. Outraged by the incident, people came out on streets and demanded those six people be handed to public rather then being put behind the bars. Seeing this level of public outburst government was quick to realize that this outrage could really lead to something terrible if not controlled. Local police was under tremendous pressure and within a short notice got hold of all six perpetrators. The two cops who could have turned out to be last ray of hope for Nirbhya had they reacted instantly, were instantly fired from their services.

Amidst all these developments Nirbhaya's deterioting health was a big cause of concern. After a few intense days of medical treatment and observation government decided to shift her to Singapore, but nothing really seemed to work as Nirbhaha bid a sad farewell to her life, a few days post being shifted to Singapore. Her grief struck parents and a couple of younger brothers bought her body back only to be buried after she faced all that brutality.

Government decided to put the case in fast track from day one itself. But one of the perpetrator who was lucky that he was just 17 seemed to have escaped because of juvenile laws which impose a maximum punishment of just three years to be spent in correction home for any crime committed by someone less then 18. Government set up a three member panel which had to rethink on reduction of age limit of juveniles for the simple fact that the sixth criminal who was not only a juvenile but was most ferocious of all other when it came to level of atrocity being exhibited. But unfortunately the panel didn't recommend the reduction in age and as a result the sixth criminal had a lucky escape with just 3 years of correction home residence. 

But his five other counterparts had to face their trials in the fast track court. One of them who was the driver (may be ashamed of what he did) committed suicide in jail. But for sure God would have had returned him the same pain that he inflicted on the helpless girl.

The rest of the four perpetrators were prosecuted in a fast track court, which gave out its judgement within 8 months after the occurrence of the incident. There were no surprises in the death penalty judgement, as that was something the whole of the nation demanded. The case was also deemed as “rarest of rare”. As expected all of the four accused have challenged the decision in supreme court, which is yet to hear their petitions. And as for the juvenile, he is going to finish his three years term in correction home in a week’s time and what to do with him next has turned out to be an enigma for the Government. Because juvenile officials say that at the correction home is inmate was a juvenile terrorist and he has brain washed this rapist, who has already shown everyone how violent he can be. Now, if he is set free then the prospect of him joining a terror group and wrecking more havoc is on the cards, big time. But human rights activists say that he should be “given a chance” to be a good person. Well, human rights people should first understand that Human rights are for humans and anyone who has a couple of legs, hands, ears, eyes with a mouth and ear cant be termed human. Even modern robots have these.

Many people including Nirbhaya’s parents are of the opinion that the juvenile who’s face has been kept in dark all these years should be made to face the public. “If you want to release him release him, but show his face before releasing him” has turned out to be a popular banner writing. So 21^st December 2015 is the last date of the juvenile’s stay in correction home, post which government needs to take a call on whether to extend his stay or release on some conditions or do something else. But, I personally feel if you have to release him better castrate him and release him. At least he cant repeat the same crime. Nirbhaya’s parents got some cash from Government and one of her younger brother has been offered a government job. As for Nirbhaya’s friend he still wanders on those streets of Delhi wondering how different life would have been had he and Nirbhaya not boarded that bus on that black Sunday.

And finally Nirbhaya who had great aspirations to be a doctor could reach hospital only as a patient and finally rest in peace, but many difficult to answer questions still galore around her death. What wrong did she do to deserve this hatredness?, Could she have survived if anyone came to her rescue immediately after being thrown out of the bus, and more importantly Has she got justice?