Even After A Decade, Nirbhaya’s Mother Says ‘We Are Still In 2012’

It has been 10 years since the brutal Delhi gang rape and murder case of Nirbhaya which shook the country and forced the Indian judiciary to make new, stricter rules and punishment when dealing with crimes against women. But, has anything actually changed on the ground?

“10 years have passed. If women were safe, everyone got justice and could get reports files easily, then we would not have stood here on the road with placards," said Nirbhaya’s mother Asha Devi when asked if things have improved in the last decade.

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On the night of December 16, 2012, a 23-year-old paramedic student, who was named Nirbhaya- the fearless one, was raped in a moving bus by the driver and four others including a juvenile in Delhi. Nirbhaya along with her boyfriend who was also beaten were thrown on the roadside in the shivering winter night, naked and bloodied. She fought for her life for six days at the city’s Safdarjung hospital before she died. Three of the accused were hanged to death on March 20, 2020, one was found dead inside the jail and the juvenile was released after three years of jail in 2015.

As we stand a decade later in the same capital city, Delhi police are still searching for Shraddha Walker’s body pieces who was strangled to death and chopped into 35 pieces by her live-in partner Aftab Poonewala and 19-year-old Jyoti is fighting for her life at the same Safdarjung hospital who was attacked with acid allegedly by her ex-boyfriend.

During the recent media interaction, Asha Devi gave examples of both the above incidents and requested the government and the Supreme Court to ensure justice. Referring to the release of the rapists and killers of the 2012 rape and killing of a 19-year-old woman in Delhi's Chhawala area, she said it was an example "that women in the country are not safe, and aren't getting justice".

In 2012, India recorded 24,923 rape cases and after numerous protests, outrages, and new laws, the number had risen to 31,677 in 2021. "Laws are made on paper, promises are made, but there's poor implementation," said Asha Devi. "If this continues, it will take away our faith in justice," said Asha Devi to BBC. Around 30% of the Nirbhaya Fund worth ₹ 6,000 crore which was set up after the Nirbhaya gang-rape case still remains to be utilised in 10 years.

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Asha Devi has also set up a trust in her daughter's name to help rape survivors and advise victims of domestic violence. The trust has retired judges, lawyers, police officials, and activists as volunteers and over the past few years, they have worked with dozens of families.