Dec 16 braveheart’s parents think juvenile convict still a threat

Parents of the December 16 braveheart fear that a juvenile offender convicted of raping and killing their daughter in 2012 is not truly reformed and still constitutes a threat to the society.

The parents of the 2012 Delhi gang rape victim have moved the national human rights panel, seeking a detailed plan on how the authorities will monitor the juvenile convict in the crime who they said was still a “threat to society”.

The lone juvenile convict is all set to be released soon after being “reformed” even as his four adult accomplices await the Supreme Court’s decision on their appeal against death penalty given to them. (Sushil Kumar/HT)

Acting on a petition by the parents, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has issued notices to the Centre and Delhi government on the issue, saying that “the fears expressed by them need to be looked into”.

The man is set to be released next month after serving a three-year term at a government correctional facility following his conviction in the crime which had sparked protests across the country and forced the government to bring in stringent laws to deter sex crimes against women.

Four adults were tried separately and sentenced for the gang rape and murder of the paramedical student on a moving bus in the national Capital on December 16 three years ago. One of them was found dead inside his prison cell in Tihar.

In their petition, the parents pointed out that the young man was “largely responsible” for the death of their daughter and was the “most brutal” amongst the offenders.

The parents said three years was not enough time for the man to reform and asked the commission to recommend that the government prepare a plan to “keep a strict check... so that people are not subjected to any risk of being harmed”.

The parents cited examples of other countries and made a case for new laws to track juvenile delinquents.

In its notice, the panel has asked the chief secretary of the state government to inform the commission if the convict has received any psychological or psychiatric assessment to gauge his mental health.

The complainants have also made a representation to Union home minister Rajnath Singh on the same subject.

The Centre and the state government have two weeks to reply to the NHRC notice.

Read: Dec 16 convict ‘reformed’: Law on juveniles cut off from reality