Delhi cops detain Nirbhaya's parents, protesters; juvenile convict walks free

New Delhi: The Juvenile convict accused in the 2012 December 16 gangrape case was released from correction centre on Sunday and was sent to an NGO at an undisclosed destination with police no longer guarding him.

His release came amidst raging protests in the capital staged by Nirbhaya's parents and activists who protested against his release and demanded death penalty for him. 

Nirbhaya's parents led protests at Rajpath in New Delhi, hitting out at the government for 'failing them'. Nirbhaya's mother Asha Devi broke down while speaking to the media and said that they failed in their efforts get the law to treat the juvenile convict like an adult in the case. 

The Delhi Police on Sunday detained Nirbhaya’s parents along with other activists and students for protesting at Rajpath against the juvenile's release.

Delhi Police detain protesting youth (Photo: PTI)

Nirbahaya's parents while protesting had asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi as to when justice would be delivered to them.

"Today I want to meet the Prime Minister again and I want to ask him when would I get the justice?" Nirbhaya's mother told the media.

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The release became possible notwithstanding the Delhi Commission for Women's late night effort to stall it failed after the Supreme Court post-midnight held a sitting and refused to stay it.

In its order, the Supreme Court declined to stop the release of the juvenile offender and posted the matter before a vacation bench that will hear the matter on Monday.

Swati Maliwal, chairperson of the DCW which had approached the Supreme Court after the Delhi High Court had also declined to stay his release, hoped that since the matter has become sub judice, the government and Delhi Police will not release the juvenile offender.

"We are helpless as far as the release is concerned. Our government, whether Centre or state, they only listen to you when you protest and get lathicharged, else they don't care," said the victim's father Badri Singh Pandey.

Asha Devi, the victim's mother said, "All knew that he will be released, so adequate steps should have been taken in the past three years."

The convict along with five others had gangraped and murdered the 23-year-old paramedical student in a moving bus on December 16, 2012, an incident that shook the nation and led to protests in the country.

He was sentenced to three years in a reform home 'Place of Safety' in north Delhi's Magazine Road by Juvenile Justice Board, a punishment which drew criticism from several quarters saying it was not adequate and was disproportionate in view of the heinous crime he had committed.

There were demands that he be tried in an adult court.