NEW DELHI: Expressing anguish over her “endless wait for justice”, the mother of Nirbhaya, the 23-year-old physiotherapy student who was gang-raped and killed in 2012 here, on Monday expressed hope that the family of Hyderabad veterinary doctor will see the perpetrators getting punished soon.
Recalling her years-long fight to seek justice for her daughter, she said the battle has just begun for the family of Hyderabad veterinary doctor. “They have lost their daughter and their fight for justice has just began. It will go on for years. But I don’t want them to keep waiting for justice like me and wish they get justice soon,” she told PTI over the phone.
“I have been fighting for years but I don’t want them to go through the same ordeal and hope they get justice soon,” she said. The charred body of the Hyderabad woman, who was working as an assistant veterinarian at a state-run hospital, was found dumped under a culvert at Shadnagar on the morning of November 28, a day after she went missing.
Four men, all lorry workers, aged between 20 and 24, were arrested on November 29 on charges of raping and killing the woman by smothering her and later burning the body. They were sent to judicial custody for 14 days on Saturday. “Even after the brutal gangrape of 2012, there has been no improvement and criminals have no fear of law and that is the reason there has been no decline in such crimes,” Nirbhaya’s mother said.
“In fact, the situation has been worsening day-by-day. Neither our society nor the judicial system has learnt their lessons. There is police arrangement, law and order, yet there are loopholes,” she said.
“Numerous laws are made after such incidents and fast-track courts are set up but how many of them (perpetrator) are punished?” she asked. “Later the case gets delayed and you have 10 other challenges before you to fight.” Nirbhaya’s mother said every rapists should be hanged to death within a set time frame. “The day they start hanging the rapist, such heinous crime will stop.”
Nirbhaya’s father also expressed anguish and said nothing has changed over the years and women still don’t feel safe. “I urge the Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) and Home Minister (Amit Shah) to ensure that women get a safe and secured environment,” he said. PTI
