Nirbhaya convicts to hang on 20 March

The four convicts given the death penalty for the gang rape and murder of a 23-year-old medical student in Delhi more than seven years ago, will be hanged on 20 March at 5:30 am.

The fourth death warrant in the case was issued by a Delhi court on Thursday after President Ram Nath Kovind rejected the mercy petition of Pawan Gupta. Gupta was the last of the four death row convicts. With the President’s rejection,  the convicts have exhausted all options for relief from the death sentence.

The lawyer for the four death row convicts told the court that there is no legal impediment for the court in proceeding to fix the date of execution.

I hope this is the final date and they would be hanged on March 20. While dying Nirbhaya asked to ensure they get such punishment that such crime is not repeated ever. – Asha Devi, Nirbhaya’s mother

The four convicts, along with two others – one of them a minor – had gang-raped the young woman and tortured her with an iron rod on the night of 16 December 2012. She died on 29 December at a hospital in Singapore.

One of the attackers, who was less than 18 years old, was released after spending three years at a reform home. The main accused, Ram Singh, was found hanging in jail.

The brutality of the attack had brought thousands of people on the streets in protest, which led to key changes in the law and security system.

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