தமிழகத்தில் கொரோனா கண்காணிப்பில் இருப்போர்

Added : மார் 19, 2020 23:04

சென்னை 1,135காஞ்சிபுரம் 132செங்கல்பட்டு 177திருவள்ளூர் 92வேலுார் 96ராணிபேட்டை 5திருப்பத்துார் 4திருவண்ணாமலை 39கடலுார் 105விழுப்புரம் 49கள்ளக்குறிச்சி 5சேலம் 62நாமக்கல் 48தர்மபுரி 6கிருஷ்ணகிரி 10ஈரோடு 30கோவை 189திருப்பூர் 30நீலகிரி 5திருச்சி 149அரியலுார் 18பெரம்பலுார் 10கரூர் 11தஞ்சாவூர் 186நாகப்பட்டினம் 81திருவாரூர் 76புதுக்கோட்டை 113மதுரை 76திண்டுக்கல் 20தேனி 30ராமநாதபுரம் 87சிவகங்கை 104விருதுநகர் 54திருநெல்வேலி 71தென்காசி 7துாத்துக்குடி 77கன்னியாகுமரி 92மொத்தம் 3,481

சிண்டிகேட் கூட்டம் ரத்து

Added : மார் 19, 2020 22:54

மதுரை :சென்னையில் மார்ச் 24 ல் நடக்க இருந்த மதுரை காமராஜ் பல்கலை சிண்டிகேட் உறுப்பினர்கள் கூட்டம் கொரோனா அச்சம் காரணமாக ரத்து செய்யப்பட்டுள்ளது.துணைவேந்தர் கிருஷ்ணன் கூறுகையில் "சென்னையில் நடக்க இருந்த கூட்டத்திற்கு பதில், தீர்மானங்கள் தபால் மூலம் உறுப்பினர்களுக்கு அனுப்பி வைக்கப்பட்டு பதில் பெறப்படும்" என்றார்.

22ம் தேதி ஊரடங்கு! காலை 7:00 மணி முதல் இரவு 9:00 மணி வரை

Updated : மார் 20, 2020 00:55 | Added : மார் 19, 2020 23:12 

புதுடில்லி:தொற்று நோயாகிய, 'கொரோனா' வைரஸ் என்ற, 'மஹா மாரி'யை விரட்ட, வரும், 22ம் தேதி, நாடு முழுவதும், 'மக்கள் ஊரடங்கு' நடத்த, பிரதமர் மோடி வேண்டுகோள் விடுத்துள்ளார். ''அன்று காலை, 7:00 மணி முதல், இரவு, 9:00 மணி வரை, வீட்டை விட்டு யாரும் வெளியே வராமல் கட்டுப்பாடுடன் இருக்க வேண்டும்,'' என, பிரதமர் கேட்டுக் கொண்டுள்ளார்.

கொரோனா வைரஸ் பரவலை தடுப்பது குறித்து, பிரதமர் மோடி, நாட்டு மக்களிடம் நேற்று, 'டிவி' மற்றும் வானொலி வழியாக உரையாற்றினார். அவர் பேசியதாவது:கொரோனா வைரசுக்கு எதிராக உலகமே போராடுகிறது. இது, முன்னெச்சரிக்கை நடவடிக்கையை எடுக்க வேண்டிய அவசியத்தை நமக்கு உணர்த்தியுள்ளது. இந்தியா, மிகுந்த மன தைரியத்துடன் கொரோனாவை எதிர்த்து போராடி வருகிறது.

மார்ச் 22 மக்கள் ஊரடங்கு; வெளியே வராதீர் மோடி வேண்டுகோள்

கவலை

நாட்டின், 130 கோடி மக்களும், கொரோனா குறித்தே பேசுகின்றனர். முதல் மற்றும் இரண்டாம் உலகப் போர்களை காட்டிலும் கொடிய பாதிப்புகளை, கொரோனா ஏற்படுத்தி வருகிறது. ஒவ்வொரு இந்தியரும், இந்த ஆபத்தான சூழ்நிலையில் விழிப்புடன் இருக்க வேண்டும். அடுத்து வரும் சில வாரங்களுக்கு, பொதுமக்கள், அரசுக்கு ஒத்துழைப்பு தர வேண்டும். கடந்த, இரண்டு மாதங்களாக, கொரோனா தொற்று நோயை தடுக்க, அரசு பல நடவடிக்கைகளை எடுத்து வருகிறது. ஆனாலும், கடந்த சில நாட்களாக, அதன் பாதிப்பு அதிகரித்துள்ளது,

பாதிக்கப்பட்டவர்களின் எண்ணிக்கை தினமும் அதிகரித்து வருவது, பெரும் கவலையை அளித்துள்ளது. இந்த தொற்று நோய்க்கு, இதுவரை சரியான தடுப்பு மருந்து கண்டுபிடிக்கப்பட வில்லை; தீர்வும் காணப்படவில்லை. இதற்கு, தற்போதைய தீர்வு, நாம் கட்டுப்பாட்டுடன் இருப்பதுதான். முதலில், இரண்டு விஷயங்களை நாம் மேற்கொள்ள வேண்டும். ஒன்று உறுதி; மற்றொன்று செயல்.அடுத்து வரும் வாரங்களில், தேவையில்லாமல், வெளியே செல்வதை தவிர்க்க வேண்டும். கூட்டமாக சந்திப்பதை தவிர்க்க வேண்டும்.வீட்டுக்குள்ளே நாம் அனைவரும் பணியாற்ற பழகிக் கொள்ள வேண்டும்.

கோரிக்கை

டாக்டர்கள், மக்கள் பிரதிநிதிகள், ஊடகங்களில் பணியாற்றுவோர், போலீஸ், சுகாதாரத்துறை ஊழியர்கள் போன்றோரைத் தவிர மற்றவர்கள், வீட்டிலேயே இருந்து பணி செய்ய வேண்டும். மத்திய அரசு மற்றும் மாநில அரசுகள், கொரோனா பரவலை தடுக்க எடுக்கும் நடவடிக்கைகளுக்கு முழு ஒத்துழைப்பு தர வேண்டும். மக்கள் தங்களை தனிமைப்படுத்திக் கொள்ள பழகிக் கொள்ள வேண்டும்.

'நான் நன்றாக இருக்கிறேன். என்னை கொரோனா தாக்காது; அதனால், நான், மார்க்கெட், வணிக வளாகம், தியேட்டர் என, எங்கும் செல்வேன்' என நினைப்பது தவறு. நம்மை தற்காத்துக் கொண்டால் மட்டும் போதாது; அடுத்தவர்களையும் பாதுகாக்க வேண்டும்.நம்மை தனிமைப் படுத்த, நாம் பழகிக் கொள்ள வேண்டும். மற்றவர்களுக்கும் விழிப்புணர்வை ஏற்படுத்த வேண்டும். இந்த வகையில், நான் உங்களுக்கு ஒரு கோரிக்கை விடுக்கிறேன்.

நான் ஏதாவது கோரிக்கை விடுத்தால், நீங்கள் ஏமாற்றாமல், அதை நிறைவேற்றுகிறீர்கள். கொரோனா நோய்க்கு சரியான தீர்வு இல்லாத நிலையில், தனிமைப்படுத்திக் கொள்வது தான் ஒரே வழி. இதற்காக, சில வாரங்களை, நான் உங்களிடம் கேட்கிறேன்.

சோதனை ஓட்டம்

வரும், 22ம் தேதி, ஞாயிற்றுக்கிழமை, 'மக்கள் ஊரடங்கு' கடைப்பிடிக்க வேண்டும். அன்று காலை, 7:00 மணி முதல், இரவு, 9:00 மணி வரை, வீட்டை விட்டு யாரும் வெளியே வரக் கூடாது. 130 கோடி மக்களும், வீட்டுக்குள்ளேயே இருக்க வேண்டும்.இதன் மூலம், நாம், நம் ஒற்றுமையை, உறுதியை வெளிப்படுத்த வேண்டும். கொரோனாவை ஒழிப்பதற்கான, சோதனை ஓட்டமாக இது அமைய வேண்டும். கொரோனாவை தடுத்து நம் வலிமையை நிரூபிப்போம்.

மக்களுக்காக , மக்களே தாமாக முன்வந்து ஊரடங்கு நடைமுறையை பின்பற்றுவோம்.இந்த நேரத்தில் நாம் சிலருக்கு நன்றி தெரிவிக்க கடமைப்பட்டிருக்கிறோம். டாக்டர்கள், மருத்துவத் துறை ஊழியர்கள், சுகாதாரத் துறை ஊழியர்கள், போலீசார், பத்திரிகையாளர்கள், பஸ், ஆட்டோ டிரைவர்கள், உட்பட பலர், தங்களை பற்றி கவலைப்படாமல், மக்களுக்காக சேவை செய்து வருகின்றனர்.

மக்கள் ஊரடங்கு கடைப்பிடிக்கப்படும், 22ம் தேதி மாலை, 5:00 மணிக்கு, வீட்டின் மொட்டை மாடியில், பால்கனியில் இருந்து, கைகளை தட்டி, மணி அடித்து, சங்கு ஊதி, அத்தியாவசிய சேவை செய்வோருக்கு நன்றி தெரிவிக்க வேண்டும்.அடுத்து வரும் நாட்களை, மக்கள் விழிப்புடன் எதிர்கொள்ள வேண்டும்; அலட்சியம் கூடாது. கொரோனா வைரஸ் காரணமாக ஏழைகளுக்கு பாதிப்பு ஏற்பட்டு விடக்கூடாது.

நெருக்கடி

அத்தியாவசிய சேவை செய்வோரைத் தவிர, மற்றவர்கள் யாரும் ஞாயிற்றுக் கிழமை வெளியே வர வேண்டாம். மருத்துவர்கள், ஊடகத்துறையினர், போக்குவரத்து துறையினருக்கு, மற்றவர்கள் தொந்தரவு தர வேண்டாம். நோய்க்கு ஆளாகாதீர்கள். நோய்களை பரப்பாதீர்கள். இந்த முக்கியமான காலகட்டத்தில், நம் மருத்துவமனைகள் உள்ளிட்ட முக்கிய சேவைகளுக்கு, தேவையில்லாத நெருக்கடி கொடுத்துவிடக் கூடாது. வழக்கமான மருத்துவ பரிசோதனைக்காக மருத்துவமனைகளுக்கு செல்வதை தவிர்க்கவும். நீங்களாக சில அறுவை சிகிச்சை செய்ய முடிவு செய்திருந்தாலும், அது அவசரம் இல்லாத நிலையில், ஒத்தி வைக்கவும்.

இந்த வைரஸ், நம் பொருளாதாரத்தில் மிகப் பெரிய பாதிப்பை ஏற்படுத்தியுள்ளது. வைரசால் ஏற்பட்ட பாதிப்பில் இருந்து பொருளாதாரத்தை மீட்க, மத்திய நிதி அமைச்சர், நிர்மலா சீதாராமன் தலைமையில் குழு அமைக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது. இந்த சிறப்பு நடவடிக்கை குழு, அனைத்து தரப்பினருடனும், மாநிலங்களுடனும் ஆலோசனை நடத்தி, பொருளாதாரத்துக்கு பாதிப்பு ஏற்படுவதை குறைக்கும்.

பால், மருந்து, உணவு போன்ற அத்தியாவசிய பொருட்கள் விநியோகம் பாதிக்காமல் இருக்க அனைத்து முன்னச்சரிக்கை நடவடிக்கைகளும் எடுக்கப்பட்டுள்ளன. அதனால், பீதியில் அவற்றை அதிகமாக வாங்கி குவிக்க வேண்டாம்.இந்த இக்கட்டான நேரத்தில், நம்மையும், நாட்டு மக்களையும் பாதுகாக்க, அனைவரும் தங்களுடைய பங்களிப்பை அளிக்க வேண்டும். வீட்டிலிருந்து வேலை செய்பவர்களுக்கு, ஊதியத்தை குறைக்க வேண்டாம் என, தனியார் துறையினரை கேட்டுக் கொள்கிறேன். மனிதநேயம் வெல்லட்டும். இந்தியா வெல்லட்டும். இவ்வாறு, அவர் பேசினார்.

14 மணி நேரம்:

இந்தியாவில் 'பந்த்' அறிவிக்கப்பட்டால் காலை 7:00 மணி முதல் மாலை 5:00 மணி வரை கடை பிடிக்கப்படும். தற்போது கொரோனா வைரஸ் பாதிப்பில் இருந்து தற்காத்துக்கொள்ள பிரதமர் மோடி அறிவித்துள்ள 'மக்கள் ஊரடங்கு' காலை 7:00 மணி முதல் , இரவு 9:00 வரை 14 மணி நேரம் கடைபிடிக்கப்பட உள்ளது.

உலக தலைவர்கள் வரிசையில்

'கொரோனா' வைரஸ் பாதிப்பு தொடர்பாக ஏற்கனவே சிங்கப்பூர் பிரதமர் லீ சியன் லூங், அமெரி்க்க அதிபர் டிரம்ப், பிரிட்டன் பிரதமர் போரிஸ் ஜான்சன், கனடா, பிரதமர் ஐஸ்டின் ட்ருடோ, ஜெர்மனி பிரதமர் ஏஞ்சலா மெர்கல், ஆகியோர் தங்கள் நாட்டு மக்களுக்கு உரையாற்றினர். இவ்வரிசையில் இந்திய பிரதமர் மோடி நேற்று உரையாற்றினார்.

குழந்தைகள், முதியவர்கள் வெளியே வர வேண்டாம்: மத்திய அரசு அறிவுரை

Updated : மார் 19, 2020 18:27 | Added : மார் 19, 2020 18:26 |

புதுடில்லி: கொரோனா வைரஸ் தொற்று பரவாமல் தடுக்கும் நடவடிக்கையாக குழந்தைகள், முதியவர்களை வீட்டிலேயே இருக்கும்படி மத்திய அரசு அறிவுறுத்தியுள்ளது.

இந்தியா முழுவதும் கொரோனா பாதிப்பின் தாக்கம் அதிகரித்து வருகிறது. இந்தியாவில் தற்போது 197 பேர் கொரோனாவால் பாதிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளனர். இதன் தீவிரத்தை கட்டுப்படுத்துவதற்காக, மத்திய அரசு பல்வேறு நடவடிக்கைகள் எடுத்து வருகிறது. அந்தவகையில் மார்ச் 22ம் தேதி முதல் மார்ச் 29 வரை வெளிநாட்டு விமானங்கள் இந்தியா வர தடை விதித்து மத்திய அரசு உத்தரவிட்டுள்ளது.

மேலும், நாடு முழுவதும் 10 வயதுக்கு உட்பட்ட குழந்தைகள் மற்றும் 65 வயதுக்கு மேற்பட்ட முதியவர்களை வீட்டிலேயே இருக்க வேண்டும் எனவும், அவசர பணிகள் தவிர மற்ற தனியார் துறை பணியாளர்களை வீட்டிலிருந்தே பணியாற்ற அனுமதிக்க வேண்டும் எனவும் மத்திய அரசு அறிவுறுத்தி உள்ளது. ரயில், விமானங்களில் மாணவர்கள், நோயாளிகள் தவிர மற்றவர்களுக்கு பயணச் சலுகை ரத்து செய்யப்படுவதாகவும் அறிவிக்கப்ட்டுள்ளது.

நிர்பயா குற்றவாளிகளின் 'கதை' முடிந்தது; நால்வருக்கும் தூக்கு

Updated : மார் 20, 2020 07:17 | Added : மார் 20, 2020 05:42 

புதுடில்லி: 'நிர்பயா' வழக்கு குற்றவாளிகள், 4 பேரும் திஹார் சிறையில், இன்று(மார்ச் 20) அதிகாலை 5.30 மணிக்கு, தூக்கிலிடப்பட்டனர். குற்றம் நடந்து 7 ஆண்டுகளுக்கு பின், 'ஒரு வழியாக' அவர்களுக்கு தண்டனை நிறைவேற்றப்பட்டது.

டில்லியைச் சேர்ந்த மருத்துவ மாணவி நிர்பயா, 2012ல், ஒரு கும்பலால் பாலியல் பலாத்காரம் செய்யப்பட்டு, சித்ரவதைக்கு ஆளாக்கப்பட்டார். இதையடுத்து, மருத்துவமனையில் அனுமதிக்கப்பட்ட அவர், சிகிச்சை பலனின்றி உயிரிழந்தார். இந்த வழக்கில் கைது செய்யப்பட்ட, ஆறு பேரும், குற்றவாளிகள் என, நீதிமன்றம் தீர்ப்பு அளித்தது. குற்றவாளிகளில் ஒருவர், 'மைனராக' இருந்ததால், அவர் சிறுவர் சீர்திருத்த பள்ளியில், மூன்று ஆண்டுகள் அடைக்கப்பட்டு, பின்னர் விடுவிக்கப்பட்டார்.

மீதமுள்ள ஐந்து பேருக்கு, துாக்கு தண்டனை விதித்து விசாரணை நீதிமன்றம் உத்தரவிட்டது. இதில், ராம் சிங் என்ற குற்றவாளி, டில்லி திஹார் சிறையில் தற்கொலை செய்துகொண்டார். இந்நிலையில், மீதமுள்ள முகேஷ் குமார் சிங்(32), வினய் சர்மா(26), பவன் குப்தா(25), அக்ஷய் குமார் சிங்(31) ஆகிய நான்கு பேருக்கும் துாக்கு தண்டனை விதிக்கப்பட்டது.

தூக்கு நிறைவேற்றம்:

மூன்று முறை, துாக்கு தண்டனைக்கான தேதி ஒத்தி வைக்கப்பட்ட நிலையில், திஹார் சிறையின், 3ம் எண் சிறையில், இன்று அதிகாலை 5.30 மணிக்கு அவர்களுக்கான தண்டனை நிறைவேற்றப்பட்டது. 30 நிமிடங்கள் அவர்கள் 4 பேரும் தூக்கில் தொங்கவிடப்பட்ட நிலையில் இருந்தனர். 4 குற்றவாளிகளின் உடல்களை பரிசோதித்து, அவர்கள் இறந்ததை டாக்டர் பதிவு செய்தார். மக்கள் கூடியதையடுத்து திஹார் சிறை வாசலில் துணை ராணுவ படையினர் குவிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளனர்.

நீதி கிடைத்தது:

தூக்கு தண்டனை நிறைவேற்றப்பட்டதை தொடர்ந்து, நிர்பயாவின் தாய் ஆஷா தேவி கூறுகையில், “ஒட்டு மொத்த தேசத்துக்கும் நீதி கிடைத்துள்ளது. எனது நாடு நீதியை பெற்றுத் தந்துள்ளது. எனது மகளுக்கு மட்டுமல்ல; நாடு முழுவதும் உள்ள பெண்களுக்கும் நீதி கிடைத்து விட்டது. கொடிய செயல்களில் ஈடுபடுவோருக்கு இது பாடமாக அமையட்டும்” என்றார்.

நிர்பயா தினம்:

திஹார் சிறை முன்பு, தூக்கு தண்டனைக்கு ஆதரவாக போஸ்டர்கள் ஒட்டப்பட்டன. 'மார்ச் 20' நிர்பயா தினம் என அதில் குறிப்பிடப்பட்டிருந்தது. தூக்கு நிறைவேறியதும், பொதுமக்களும், சமூக ஆர்வலர்களும் சிறைக்கு முன்பு தேசிய கொடி அசைத்தும், இனிப்பு வழங்கியும் மகிழ்ச்சியை வெளிப்படுத்தினர்.

பிரேத பரிசோதனை:

உயிரிழந்த நிர்பயா குற்றவாளிகளின் உடல்கள், இன்று காலை 8.30 மணிக்கு பிரேத பரிசோதனை செய்யப்படுகிறது. 5 டாக்டர்கள் கொண்ட குழு, பிரேத பரிசோதனை செய்யும் எனவும், நிகழ்வுகள் அனைத்தும் வீடியோ எடுக்கப்படும் எனவும் தகவல்கள் தெரிவிக்கின்றன.

ரூ.80,000 ஊதியம்:

நிர்பயா குற்றவாளிகள் 4 பேரையும், மீரட் நகரை சேர்ந்த பவன் ஜல்லாட் என்பவர் தூக்கு தண்டனையை நிறைவேற்றினார். பலத்த போலீஸ் பாதுகாப்புடன், திஹார் சிறைக்கு நேற்று அழைத்து வரப்பட்ட அவர், தூக்கு ஒத்திகையிலும் ஈடுபட்டார். தூக்கை நிறைவேற்ற பவனுக்கு 8 மணிலா கயிறுகள் வழங்கப்பட்டன. அதில் 4 கயிறுகளை அவர் தேர்வு செய்தார். இதனையடுத்து சிறையில் தனி அறையில் தங்கிய பவன், அதிகாலை 3.30 மணிக்கு எழுந்து, குற்றவாளிகளை தூக்கு போட தயாரானார். ஒருவருக்கு தலா ரூ.20 ஆயிரம் என 4 குற்றவாளிளை தூக்கிலிட, பவனுக்கு ரூ.80 ஆயிரம் ஊதியம் வழங்கப்பட்டது. அவருக்கு மனநல ஆலோசனை வழங்கவும் சிறைத்துறை நிர்வாகம் ஏற்பாடு செய்துள்ளது.

கடைசி முயற்சியும் தோல்வி:

முன்னதாக, நிர்பயா குற்றவாளிகளின் வக்கீல், நேற்று நள்ளிரவில் தாக்கல் செய்த மனுவை, டில்லி ஐகோர்ட் தள்ளுபடி செய்தது. இதனை தொடர்ந்து சுப்ரீம் கோர்ட்டில் குற்றவாளிகள் தரப்பில் மனு தாக்கல் செய்யப்பட, அது அவசர வழக்காக அதிகாலை 2.30 மணிக்கு விசாரிக்கப்பட்டது. அம்மனுவையும் சுப்ரீம் கோர்ட் தள்ளுபடி செய்ய, நிர்பயா குற்றவாளிகளின் தூக்கு தண்டனை உறுதியானது.

நிராகரிப்பு:

விசாரணையில், குற்றவாளிகள் தரப்பில் ஆஜரான வக்கீல் ஏ.பி.சிங், 'அவர்கள் தூக்கிலிடப்படுவது உறுதி. ஆனால் அதை 2 அல்லது 3 நாட்கள் தள்ளி வைக்க வேண்டும்' என வாதாடினார். நிர்பயா குற்றவாளிகளின் குடும்பத்தினர் அவர்களை 5 -10 நிமிடங்கள் சந்திக்க அனுமதி அளிக்க வேண்டும் எனவும் கேட்டுக் கொண்டார். ஆனால் சிறை நடைமுறையில் அதற்கு அனுமதி இல்லை என நீதிபதி நிராகரித்தார்.

Malaysians in Tiruchy in a fix as airlines unlikely to fly soon

Looks like Malaysians stranded without return flights will have to spend some more time in the city as airlines are unlikely to resume operations anytime soon.

Published: 20th March 2020 06:47 AM 

Passengers are seen wearing masks to keep them away from coronavirus at Chennai Airport. (Photo| R Satish Babu, EPS)

By Jose K Joseph

Express News Service

TIRUCHY: Looks like Malaysians stranded without return flights will have to spend some more time in the city as airlines are unlikely to resume operations anytime soon. Around 70 Malaysians currently are in Tiruchy and other central districts, having landed on some business or attend family events. While those with roots in Tamil Nadu are staying with relatives, others are put up in hotels. 

Officials from the Malaysian embassy met the group on Wednesday and assured help, but no plans have materialised yet.Most of them have been visiting the airport for the past three days to find out when airlines would resume operations. “I came to attend a marriage. Most of my family members returned to Malaysia, but I decided to spend some more time with my relatives. Now, I do not know what to do. Officials are not giving any assurances. I have submitted my details to the embassy and hope the Malaysian government would take steps to ensure our return,” said M Pragathambal.

“I came with my family on March 1 to visit temples. We were planning to return on March 25, but now we are worried as officials are unable to give any confirmation of the return trip,” said P Subramaniam, who visited TIA on Thursday. “Some of us are staying with our relatives and embassy officials arranged food and accommodation for those unable to find a place to stay. They have assured travel arrangements would be made after consulting the Indian government” said Sugandhi, a Malaysian citizen.

Flights cancelled

Air India Express on Thursday cancelled its Tiruchy-Sharjah flight (Flight No. IX-613) and Tiruchy-Dubai flight (Flight No. IX-611) due to travel restrictions in the United Arab Emirates. The Sharjah flight scheduled to take off from Tiruchy at 12.40 am and Dubai flight at 1 am would remain cancelled on Friday

Nirbhaya convicts hanged to death: A brief timeline of the case that shook India

The four convicts in the 2012 Nirbhaya gangrape case were hanged to death on March 20, at 5.30 am.

PTI

NEWS NIRBHAYA FRIDAY, MARCH 20, 2020 - 08:17

Sanyukta Dharmadhikari Follow @dramadhikari

The four convicts in the horrific 2012 Nirbhaya gangrape case — Mukesh (32), Pawan Gupta (25), Vinay Sharma (26) and Akshay Kumar Singh (31) — were executed on March 20, Friday, at 5.30 am. The brutal gangrape-and-murder of a 23-year-old woman on December 16, 2012, had shaken the entire nation and the trial in the case has spanned over seven years. Here is a brief chronology of events since December 16: 

December 16, 2012: The paramedical student was gangraped and brutally assaulted by five men and a juvenile in a private bus and thrown out of the moving vehicle along with her male friend. The victims were admitted to Safdarjung Hospital.

December 17: Widespread protests erupted across Delhi and many parts of India, demanding stringent action against the accused. Delhi police identified the accused — bus driver Ram Singh, his brother Mukesh, Vinay Sharma and Pawan Gupta.

December 18: Ram Singh and three others were arrested.

December 20: Victim's friend, who was with her on the bus, testified.

December 21: The juvenile in the case was nabbed from Anand Vihar bus terminal in Delhi. Victim's friend identified Mukesh as one of the culprits. Police conducted raids in Haryana and Bihar to nab the sixth accused, Akshay Thakur.

December 21-22: Akshay Thakur was arrested in Aurangabad district of Bihar and was brought to Delhi. The victim recorded her statement before the Sub-Divisional Magistrate in hospital.

December 23: Protesters defied prohibitory orders and took to the streets demanding justice for the victim. Delhi police constable Subhash Tomar, on duty to control protests, was rushed to hospital with serious injuries.

December 25: The victim’s condition was declared critical. Constable Tomar succumbed to his injuries.

December 26: Following a cardiac arrest, the victim was transported to Singapore's Mount Elizabeth Hospital by the government.

December 29: Victim succumbed to her injuries at the hospital in Singapore. Delhi police then added murder charge in the FIR against the six accused.

January 2, 2013: Then Chief Justice of India, Altamas Kabir, inaugurated a fast track court (FTC) for a speedy trial in sexual offence cases.

January 3: Delhi police filed chargesheet against five adults who were accused of murder, gangrape, attempt to murder, kidnapping, unnatural offences and dacoity.

January 5: Delhi court took cognisance of the chargesheet.

January 7: Court ordered in-camera proceedings.

January 17: A fast track court started proceedings against the five adult accused.

January 28: Juvenile Justice Board (JJB) stated that it has been proved that the juvenile is a minor.

February 2: Fast track court framed charges against five adult accused.

February 28: Juvenile Justice Board framed charges against the minor accused.

March 11: Accused Ram Singh allegedly took his own life in Tihar Jail.

March 22: Delhi High Court allowed national media to report the trial court's proceedings.

July 5: Inquiry (trial) in Juvenile Justice Board against the juvenile in concluded. The Juvenile Justice Board reserved the verdict for July 11.

July 8: The fast track court completed the recording of testimonies of the prosecution witnesses.

July 11: Juvenile Justice Board held minor also guilty of illegally confining and robbing a carpenter on December 16, one night before taking part in the gangrape. On the same day, the Delhi High Court also allowed three international news agencies to cover the trial in the case.

August 22: Fast track court began hearing of the final arguments in the trial against four adult accused.

August 31: Juvenile Justice Board convicted the minor for gangrape and murder and awarded three-year term at a probation home.

September 3: Fast track court concluded the trial and reserved its verdict.

September 10: Mukesh, Vinay, Akshay, Pawan were convicted of 13 offences including gangrape, unnatural offence and murder of the woman and attempt to murder her male friend.

September 13: Court sentenced all four convicts to death.

September 23: Delhi High Court began hearing the convicts' death sentence after a reference was sent to it by the trial court.

January 3, 2014: Delhi High Court reserved the verdict on convicts' appeals.

March 13: Delhi High Court upheld the death penalty to the four convicts.

March 15: After two of the convicts, Mukesh and Pawan, filed appeals in the Supreme Court, the apex court stayed their execution. Later, the court also stayed the execution of other convicts.

April 15: Supreme Court directed Delhi police to produce the dying declaration of the victim.

February 3, 2017: Supreme Court stated that it will hear afresh the aspect of sentencing the convicts to death.

March 27: Supreme Court reserved the verdict on their appeals.

May 5: Supreme Court upheld the death penalty to four convicts. The court in its judgement stated that the case falls under the category of 'rarest of rare' and the offence created a "tsunami of shock.”

November 8: Mukesh, one of the four death row convicts in the case, moved the Supreme Court seeking a review of its verdict upholding the capital punishment awarded to him.

December 12: Delhi police opposed Mukesh's plea in the Supreme Court.

December 15: Convicts Vinay Sharma and Pawan Kumar Gupta moved the Supreme Court for a review of its verdict.

May 4, 2018: Supreme Court reserved its order on the review plea by two death row convicts, Vinay Sharma and Pawan Gupta.

July 9: Supreme Court dismissed the review pleas of three convicts.

February 14, 2019: Nirbhaya’s parents moved a Delhi court asking that the issuance of death warrants of the four convicts be fast-tracked.

December 10, 2019: Death row convict Akshay moved the Supreme Court seeking a review of his death penalty.

December 13: Nirbhaya’s mother moved the Supreme Court opposing the review plea of convict Akshay.

December 18: Supreme Court dismissed Akshay's review plea. The same day, the Delhi government sought the issuance of death warrants for the execution of the death sentence to the four convicts. A Delhi court directed Tihar authorities to issue a notice to convicts to avail their remaining legal remedies.

December 19: Delhi High Court dismissed the plea of death row convict Pawan Kumar Gupta claiming he was a juvenile at the time of the offence.

January 6, 2020: A Delhi court dismissed a complaint filed by Pawan's father seeking FIR against the sole witness in the case.

January 7: A Delhi court ordered four death row convicts to be hanged on January 22 at 7 am in Tihar jail.

January 14: Supreme Court dismissed curative petitions filed by two convicts, Vinay Kumar and Mukesh.

January 15: Delhi HC refused to set aside the death warrant issued against convict Mukesh. Mukesh had moved the Delhi High Court challenging the death warrant issued against him. He then moved a trial court in Delhi. Delhi court was informed that the execution of the convicts cannot take place on January 22 since a 14-day notice must be provided to the convicts after the rejection of the mercy plea.

January 17: The Ministry of Home Affairs sent the mercy petition of convict Mukesh Singh to President Ram Nath Kovind and recommended that it be rejected. President Ram Nath Kovind then rejected Mukesh’s mercy petition. 

January 17: A Delhi court issued a fresh death warrant for the four convicts, setting the time of execution to 6 am on February 1 Delhi's Tihar Jail. One of the convicts, Pawan, moved the Supreme Court against the Delhi High Court order dismissing his plea that he was a juvenile at the time of the incident in December 2012.

January 20: The Supreme Court rejected Pawan’s petition claiming he was a juvenile at the time of the incident. 

January 29: The Supreme Court dismissed convict Mukesh Singh's plea seeking judicial review of the rejection of his mercy petition by the President. Another convict, Vinay Kumar Sharma sent a mercy petition to President Ram Nath Kovind.

January 30: Lawyer for death row convicts moved the Delhi court seeking a stay of execution scheduled for February 1.

January 30: Supreme Court rejected the curative petition of Akshay seeking a stay on the death sentence.

February 1: In view of the pendency of the mercy plea filed by convict Vinay Sharma, Delhi court issued stay on the death warrants issued against the four death row convicts. The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) along with Tihar Jail authorities moved the Delhi High Court challenging the trial court order putting a stay on the death warrants issued against the four death row convicts in the Nirbhaya gang rape and murder case. 

February 5: Delhi High Court dismissed Centre's plea. President Ram Nath Kovind rejected the mercy petition of convict Akshay Kumar Singh

February 6: Tihar jail moved Delhi court seeking fresh death warrants against four convicts.

February 17: Delhi court issued fresh death warrants against the convicts, set execution time to 6 a.m. on March 3.

February 20: Convict Vinay Sharma moves court seeking better treatment seeking better treatment for his claimed mental illness, schizophrenia and injuries in head and arm.

February 22: Delhi court dismissed Vinay Sharma’s seeking treatment for mental illness, schizophrenia and injuries in head and arm. Court said he was being given regular medical care and regular supportive therapy sessions conducted for him by specialists.

February 28: Convict Pawan filed a curative petition in the Supreme Court, seeking commutation of capital punishment to life imprisonment.

February 29: Convict Akshay files mercy petition before President

March 2: Supreme Court dismissed convict Pawan’s curative petition. On the same day, Pawan filed a mercy petition before the President of India. The execution, scheduled for March 3, was deferred again.

March 4: President Ram Nath Kovind rejected mercy petition of convict Pawan. Delhi government moved court seeking fresh death warrants against the convicts.

March 5: Delhi court issued fresh death warrants, directed the convicts to be hanged on March 20 at 5.30 am.

March 9: Convict Vinay Sharma approached Delhi LG seeking to commute death sentence to life imprisonment. 

March 11: Delhi court issued notice to Mandoli jail authorities on an application filed by one of the convicts in Nirbhaya rape case seeking FIR against two police personnel for allegedly beating him.

March 13: Convict Vinay Sharma approached the Delhi High Court alleging constitutional irregularities committed by the Delhi government while recommending his mercy plea to the President.

March 16: Three convicts approached the International Court of Justice (ICJ) seeking a stay on their execution scheduled for March 20.

March 17: Mukesh Singh moved court to seek quashing of his death sentence on the pretext that he was not present in Delhi when the crime occurred on December 16 that year.

March 17: Pawan Gupta moved Supreme Court claiming to be a juvenile.

March 17: Delhi court dismissed application moved by Mukesh Singh seeking quashing of the death penalty awarded to him.

March 18: 'Dummy trial' held on the prison premises at Tihar jail.

March 18: Mukesh Singh moved the Delhi High Court challenging the trial court order which had dismissed his plea seeking stay on the execution. He had claimed he was not in New Delhi at the time of the crime. Delhi High Court dismissed his application.

March 19: Supreme Court dismissed the curative petition preferred by Pawan Gupta, one of the four convicts

March 19: Delhi court dismissed an application filed by the convicts seeking a stay on their execution on the grounds of pending legal remedies.

March 19: A day before they were to be hanged, the four convicts approached the Delhi High Court late at night to try and stay their execution scheduled. After a day-long hearing, the Delhi High Court held a midnight hearing.

March 20: Four hours before their execution, the Delhi High Court upheld the death warrants.

March 20: At 3 am, the counsel of Pawan Gupta moved the Supreme Court challenging the rejection of the second mercy plea by the President Ram Nath Kovind and seeking stay on the death sentence.

March 20: At 3.40 am, a three-judge bench headed by Justice R Banumathi and comprising Justice Ashok Bhushan and Justice A S Bopanna rejected his plea.

March 20: At 5.30 am, with a large crowd gathered outside Tihar jail, the four convicts were hanged to death.

Village school conducts classes on WhatsApp

20/03/2020,PRESS TRUST OF INDIA AURANGABAD

Coronavirus may have led to the closure of schools and colleges in Maharashtra, but technology and social media apps have come to the rescue of students.

A zilla parishad school at Bangalwadi in Osmanabad district is using WhatsApp to run its routine classes.

The government had directed schools and colleges in the Sstate to remain shut till March 31, due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Despite the lockdown, educators at a school in Bangalwadi village of Paranda tehsil have ensured that there are no roadblocks in the process of learning, by conducting classes on WhatsApp.

Teachers have formed class-wise WhatsApp groups to help students continue their studies without interruption.

“I have been posting videos about different chapters for my students. I allot poems and other assignments to children every day at 8 a.m. Students also post their homework assignments on WhatsApp,” said Vishwas Gaikwad, who teaches primary classes.

As many as 75 students are part of these groups, he added.

Children whose parents don’t have smartphones, have enrolled for these WhatsApp classes with the help of their relatives and neighbours, Mr. Gaikwad said.

“We have seen some positive changes in children who are lazy. They have now started working hard, as their parents are able to monitor their progress,” he said.

Classes via video conferencing are quite common in city schools, education officer for primary schools S.M. Jadhav said.

“However, the use of such technology in rural areas is rare. Students may have stopped coming to school, but teachers haven’t stopped their classes,” he added.

Puri temple shut to public from today

20/03/2020, STAFF REPORTER,BHUBANESWAR

The Odisha government has shut down the Shree Jagannath Temple in Puri for devotees from Friday till April 1— a rare event in the hundreds of years of the temple’s history.

“The Puri district administration has restricted access of general public to Jagannath temple from tomorrow [Friday]. In this spirit, the State government has instructed religious institutions, including temples, mosques and churches, to enforce similar restrictions,” said Subroto Bagchi, chief spokesperson for Odisha’s fight against COVID-19, on Thursday.

Nirbhaya convicts restless, in tears ahead of execution

They have been kept under surveillance in separate wards

20/03/2020, SAURABH TRIVEDI,NEW DELHI

After all four convicts in Nirbhaya gang rape and murder case came to know about their hanging on Friday morning, they started sobbing and refused the evening tea on Thursday.

The Tihar jail authorities held a meeting over preparations besides doing a final trial run.

A Tihar jail officer said that after the convicts were informed that the Delhi court has rejected a plea seeking a stay on their executions, they were found to be restless and sobbing. The convicts have been kept in separate wards.

Counsellor allotted

“They even tried to harm themselves but were stopped by the jail staff. They have been put under surveillance. A counsellor was asked to talk to them. The jail staff have been instructed to keep a watch on them. Staff will be stationed outside each of their [convicts’] wards to keep a watch on their activities,” said the officer. The officer said that they were following procedures as mentioned in the Tihar jail manual.

The bodies will be shifted to DDU Hospital by 8 a.m. for post-mortem.

The convicts have been allowed to meet their family members one last time. All took the opportunity except for Akshay as nobody from his family turned up.

The families have not informed the authorities whether they would take the bodies for cremation. The Tihar authorities will cremate the bodies as per procedure if the families refuse, said the officer.

He added that the money earned by the convicts during their stay in jail will be handed over to their family members since they have not mentioned any beneficiary or signed any will.

Just before the convicts will be taken to the gallows, the Jail Superintendent will meet them in his cell. The Superintendent shall read out a translation of the warrant in vernacular to the convicts.

Any other documents requiring attestation by the convicts, such as his will, shall thereafter be signed and attested in the presence of the Superintendent.

All other prisoners will remain locked when the execution will be carried out at 5.30 on Friday morning.

T.N. records third coronavirus case

39 persons under hospital quarantine in State

20/03/2020, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT,CHENNAI

C. VijayabaskarB_JOTHI RAMALINGAM

A third person has tested positive for the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Tamil Nadu. The patient, a 21-year-old student who had returned from Dublin, tested positive for COVID-19 on Thursday after having been admitted to the isolation ward at the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital (RGGGH).

Health Minister C. Vijayabaskar said the student arrived in Chennai on March 17 and underwent screening, following which he was placed under home quarantine.

He developed symptoms on March 18 and reported himself to RGGGH. He was admitted to the isolation ward, and his nasal and throat swabs were taken for testing. The samples returned positive for COVID-19 on Thursday.

The Minister tweeted that the patient’s condition was stable. On Wednesday, a 20-year-old, who had travelled from Delhi to Chennai, tested positive for COVID-19, and is currently undergoing treatment at RGGGH. Ten close contacts of the youth were identified, and the Health Department is in the process of tracking down all those with whom the youth had come into contact.

The Minister maintained that there was no community transmission of COVID-19 in the State.

“If any passenger travelling from an affected country arrives at the airport with symptoms, he/she is shifted to the isolation ward in a dedicated ambulance. If the passenger does not have symptoms, we quarantine them at the Institute of Public Health in Poonamallee, considering that they could be carriers,” he told reporters after inspecting the Government Stanley Medical College Hospital. The hospital has 31 beds in the isolation ward and a fever clinic. Efforts are on to establish a testing facility there.

As per the bulletin issued by the Directorate of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, a total of 39 persons were in isolation wards in government medical college hospitals and 3,481 persons were under home quarantine. At 1,135, Chennai has the highest number of those under quarantine.

Woman seeks death certificate of husband missing since 2005

20/03/2020, STAFF REPORTER ,MADURAI

After a woman who lost her fisherman husband in 2005 moved the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Thursday seeking compensation and issuance of the death certificate of her husband, the court directed the State to respond in the case.

Justice C.V. Karthikeyan directed the State government to present details of similar cases. The case was adjourned for filing of the report. The petitioner, T. Malliga of Rameswaram, said that she was in dire need of money to run her family.

Ms. Malliga said that in 2005, her husband and three others went into the sea for fishing, and their boat sank into the sea.

While the other three men were rescued from Katchatheevu later, the woman said, her husband could not be traced. She said that she had registered a missing complaint with the local police and also approached the government for help, but to no avail.

Saying she was finding it hard to make ends meet, the woman said that under Section 108 of the Indian Evidence Act, 1872, a person missing for long and not heard of for over seven years could be presumed to have died. It was 15 years since her husband went missing, she said. The woman said that the families of fishermen who lost their lives in cyclones had received compensation from the State. But, no such monetary benefit had been given to her so far.

No darshan at Tirumala for one week

20/03/2020, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT,TIRUMALA

Pilgrims will not be allowed for the darshan of Lord Venkateswara at Tirumala for about a week from Friday. The decision was taken following COVID-19 cases across the country and in accordance with the directives of the Andhra Pradesh government. It is after a gap of about 128 years that the temple will be kept out of reach for pilgrims for about one week.

75 stuck in Singapore await MEA nod to return

The students fear deportation to Manila

20/03/2020, RAMESH SUSARLA,ANANTAPUR

While around 343 Indian students reached Delhi and Visakhapatnam on Wednesday from Kuala Lumpur after getting stuck there for more than 18 hours, 75 students from the University of Perpetual, Manila, are still stuck at the Singapore airport awaiting permission from the Ministry of External Affairs to return home.

On Thursday (11 a.m. IST and 1.30 p.m. Singapore local time), K. Namratha Reddy, a medical student from Chittoor district in Andhra Pradesh, and Manasa from Bengaluru, both from the same university in the Philippines, told The Hindu over phone that while 70 students were still stuck in Manila, a batch of 50 students bound for Mumbai and 25 to Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka, had arrived at Singapore on March 17 and 18, but were not being allowed to fly out.

“The Indian High Commission in Singapore is in touch with us, but it has expressed its inability to do anything unless the Indian government give permission to fly into India. We are worried that we will be deported to Manila as we are on a transit visa in Singapore,” Ms. Manasa said.

Parents of the 75 students appealed to the Indian government to make early arrangements to bring back their children.

UGC advisory opens up online avenues

20/03/2020, R. SUJATHA,CHENNAI

The University Grants Commission’s advisory to universities and colleges to reschedule classes and ongoing evaluations “as a preventive measure in the wake of COVID-19” has turned into an opportunity to push online courses. Anna University’s Educational Multimedia Research Centre has urged its students to take up courses through Swayam platform, which can be accessed for free on Doordarshan.

S. Gowri, director of EMRC, said the shutdown of regular classes offered an opportunity to promote online platforms. The students have been told that the university was making available lectures of all subjects online for students through a state-of-the-art lecture capture solution that has been installed on the campus. “The students have been given detailed instructions and the method of access.”

Counselling suspended

Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu Open University has suspended counselling sessions of B.Ed Special Education programmes.

Cancellations, chaos at Central

20/03/2020, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT ,CHENNAI

With Southern Railway cancelling several trains, people packed the few that were running on Thursday. R. RaguR_Ragu

People wanting to get to their native places from the city are rushing to the Puratchi Thalaivar Dr. MGR Chennai Central railway station, not realising that the Southern Railway has cancelled over 95 long-distance trains.

With 50 trains already suspended due to low occupancy on Wednesday, an additional 45 services were cancelled on Thursday. A total of 155 train services have been cancelled throughout the country as part of the Railways’ measures to prevent COVID-19.

The Railways on Thursday cancelled several services, including the Chennai-Vijayawada Jan Shatabdi Express, Chennai-Coimbatore Shatabdi Express, Chennai-Hazrat Nizamuddin Duronto Express, Chennai-Thiruvananthapuram Express, Mangaluru-Thiruvananthapuram Express, Chennai-Bengaluru Express, Tiruchi-Thiruvananthapuram Express and Mangaluru-Coimbatore Intercity Express. The services are being cancelled between March 20 and 31.

A total of 23 special-fare summer trains, that were to be operated in April, are being cancelled.

A senior Railways official said that to discourage people from undertaking non-essential travel, concession tickets for senior citizens and students were being withdrawn with effect from Friday.

The cancellation of several trainscreated panic among passengers who were to leave the city.

30% flights cancelled at Madurai airport

TNN | Mar 20, 2020, 04.47 AM IST

Madurai: Covid-19 scare has resulted in the cancellation of at least 30% of flights, both domestic and international, at the Madurai International Airport on Thursday. Officials said that while some flights were cancelled due to lack of patronage in the wake of Covid-19, some had to be cancelled as a precautionary measure as per instructions from AAI.

An official from Madurai airport said all the services between Madurai and Colombo have been cancelled, while flights to Singapore have already been cancelled. A few domestic flights connecting destinations like Chennai and Bengaluru have also been cancelled due to poor occupancy. In Tuticorin, of the six flights connecting Tuticorin with Chennai (5) and Bengaluru (1), two have been cancelled every day during the course of this week due to poor occupancy. Tuticorin airport director N Subramanian said that SpiceJet has cancelled two of its morning flights from and to Chennai from March 21 to April 30. Sources from Madurai airport said the cancellations left many passengers fuming. The airlines were opaque in letting fliers know the status of the upcoming flights. Passengers were asked to visit in person.

Nirbhaya convict's mother's last wish for her son - 'puri, sabzi, kachori'

PTI | Mar 19, 2020, 12.27 PM IST

NEW DELHI: With the hours ticking away inexorably, hope that her son will be spared the noose is fast slipping but, weary and angry, the woman stigmatised as "Nirbhaya rapist's mother" has one last ask -- will she be able to get his favourite "puri, sabzi, kachori" meal to him?

Her son Vinay Sharma is one of the four men sentenced to be hanged in Tihar Jail at 5.30am on Friday -- seven years-three months after the night of December 16, 2012 when a young woman, who came to be known the world over as "Nirbhaya", the fearless one, was gangraped so savagely that she died a fortnight later.

With the hangman conducting a dummy run on Wednesday and the Delhi high court rejecting yet another appeal by one of them, the execution of the four is all but certain after three postponements.

While the Supreme Court rejected Sharma's curative petition on January 14, his mercy petition was rejected by President Ramnath Kovind in February.

And the woman, who refuses to divulge her name and says she wants to be known only as "Vinay Sharma's mother" is increasingly more despairing.

The years of harbouring the realisation that her son is guilty in the horrific crime that made headlines across the globe and dealing with unrelenting media spotlight have clearly taken their toll.

"Who are you? What do you want? There is no one inside. My husband has gone out for work. I am Vinay's mother," said the woman outside her home in south Delhi's Ravidas Camp.

With its narrow lanes, shabby quarters and open sewers, the slum colony which represents the capital's seamy underbelly, just next to the upscale government colony of R K Puram in south Delhi, was home to four of the six men convicted of the crime.

And somewhere deep inside, a narrow, congested lane leads to the home of Vinay Sharma.

The nameplate reads Hari Ram Sharma and outside is the mother of four, in her 50s but looking older beyond her years, washing clothes on a grimy surface.

She doesn't let visitors enter.

"Kya likhoge tum? Kuch hota hai tumhare likhne se (What will you write now? Has anything happened till now with your writing?) If god wants he will be saved," she lashed out.

"It is all god's wish. Look at the coronavirus. It is god who decides everything -- who lives and who dies. It is beyond the control of any human. Neither yours, nor theirs," she said.

And then there is the glimmer of something resembling hope.

"The jail personnel in Tihar never allowed me to take food or any other thing. But if they allow, this time I would like to take some 'puri', 'sabzi' and 'kachori' for him," she asked.

Now, with the end near, she said she will soon be meeting her son in jail, for one last time.

The 26-year-old will be hanged along with Mukesh Singh (32), Pawan Gupta (25) and Akshay Kumar Singh (31). On March 5 this year, a trial court issued a fresh death warrant with March 20 as the date.

Of the other two convicted in the case, Ram Singh allegedly committed suicide in Tihar Jail in 2015 and the sixth, a juvenile, was sentenced three years of punishment in a reform home and released in 2015.

While the widowed mother of brothers Ram Singh and Mukesh Singh has left the locality and gone back to her family in Rajasthan, the families of Vinay Sharma and Pawan Gupta still live in the slum colony.

The family of Pawan Gupta sells fruits to make a living and refused to talk.

The Nirbhaya case hangs like a shroud over the colony, which looks like just another on a weekday morning -- men leaving for work, children playing, some women washing clothes, others standing around chatting idly. But mention 'Vinay Sharma' or 'Pawan Gupta' and it all changes.

The laughter switched to awkward silences and people began to look away when asked for information on the family.

"Who are you? No, we don't know anything," said a woman at the camp as she stopped other women from talking too.

And then some in a group standing close by shared their views, hesitantly at first and then more assertively.

One man forwarded the "boys will be boys" theory and the others quickly stepped in to say the sexual assault and murder of the 23-year-old physiotherapy intern -- gangraped on a moving bus -- is a "horrific mistake" that merits exemplary punishment.

"People here have been talking about Vinay, Pawan and the other convicts since the unfortunate incident took place on December 16. Publicly most talk in favour of the conviction, but there are a few who would also say things against the punishment and ask if this will end rape in India. Some also ask why other rape convicts were not executed," said a nearby tea-seller.

"But one thing we all strongly feel about is how our home has been painted as evil by the media and other big people," he added.

(The victim's identity has not been revealed to protect her privacy as per Supreme court directives on cases related to sexual assault)

Nirbhaya case: Resilience of law safeguards against human error, not weakness, says court

PTI | Mar 19, 2020, 07.38 PM IST

NEW DELHI: Resilience of law signifies inherent safeguards against human errors and not the weakness of law, a Delhi court observed on Thursday while addressing concerns over the efficacy of the Rule of Law due to the considerable time consumed by the judiciary in the Nirbhaya gangrape and murder case.

While dismissing a plea filed by three of the four death-row convicts seeking a stay on their execution, Additional Sessions Judge Dharmender Rana said: "When would the convicts meet the Creator for their eternal penitence? The issue has been pestering the conscience of the community for past some time. The time consumed by the process of law has even led some diffident voices to timorously question the very efficacy of 'Rule of Law'.

"Let me inform all the suspecting souls that in this great land of Gautam Buddha and Gandhi, Rule of Law and not impetuous mob mentality, decides the fate of even the most wretched criminals and most abominable crimes. The resilience of law signifies the inherent safeguards against human errors and not the weakness of law".

The convicts tried to delay the hanging by resorting to all kinds of tactics but in vain as the court on Thursday cleared the decks for Friday's hanging by dismissing the plea as no valid ground was brought to its notice to justify the stay of execution of death warrants.

On March 5, a trial court issued fresh death warrants for 5.30am on March 20 for the execution of convicts Mukesh Singh (32), Pawan Gupta (25), Vinay Sharma (26) and Akshay Kumar Singh (31).

The warrants, which were issued for the first time on January 7, have been deferred four times earlier on the ground that they were yet to exhaust all the legal remedies.

A 23-year-old physiotherapy intern, who came to be known as 'Nirbhaya' (fearless), was gang raped and savagely assaulted in a moving bus in south Delhi on December 16, 2012. She died after a fortnight.

Six people, including the four convicts and a juvenile, were named as accused. Ram Singh, the sixth accused, allegedly committed suicide in the Tihar Jail days after the trial began in the case.

The juvenile was released in 2015 after spending three years in a correctional home.

Four Nirbhaya gang rape and murder case convicts hanged in Delhi's Tihar Jail, victim's parents say justice finally done

PTI | Mar 20, 2020, 06.04 AM IST

NEW DELHI: The four men convicted of the gang rape and murder of a Delhi woman on December 16, 2012 were hanged in the darkness of pre-dawn on Friday, ending a horrific chapter in India's long history of sexual assault that had seared the nation's soul.

Mukesh Singh (32), Pawan Gupta (25), Vinay Sharma (26) and Akshay Kumar Singh (31) were executed at 5.30am for the savage assault in an empty moving bus on the 23-year-old physiotherapy intern who came to be known the world over as Nirbhaya, the fearless one.

This is the first time that four men have been hanged together in Tihar Jail, South Asia's largest prison complex that houses more than 16,000 inmates. The executions were carried out after the men exhausted every possible legal avenue to escape the gallows. Their desperate attempts only postponed the inevitable by less than two months after the first date of execution was set for January 22.

They were hanged at 5.30am, director general of prison Sandeep Goel said.

After raping and brutalising the woman, the men, one of whom was a juvenile at the time, dumped her on the road and left for dead on the cold winter night. Her friend who was with her was also severely beaten and thrown out along with her. She was so severely violated that her insides were spilling out when she was taken to hospital. She died in a Singapore hospital after battling for her life for a fortnight.

Six people, including the four convicts and the juvenile, were named as accused.

While Ram Singh allegedly committed suicide in the Tihar Jail days after the trial began in the case, the juvenile was released in 2015 after spending three years in a correctional home.

The road to the gallows was a long and circuitous one, going through the lower courts, the High Court, the Supreme Court and the president's office before going back to the Supreme Court that heard and rejected various curative petitions.

The death warrants were deferred by a court thrice on the grounds that the convicts had not exhausted all their legal remedies and that the mercy petition of one or the other was before the president.

On March 5, a trial court issued fresh death warrants for March 20 at 5.30am as the final date for the execution.

Doctor declares four Nirbhaya case convicts dead: Jail official

PTI | Mar 20, 2020, 06.47 AM IST

New Delhi: Doctor declared all the four convicts in the Nirbhaya case dead after they were hanged at Tihar Jail, an official said. The four convicts -- Mukesh Singh (32), Pawan Gupta (25), Vinay Sharma (26) and Akshay Kumar Singh (31) -- were hanged at 5.30 am.

According to the official, their bodies remained suspended in the air for nearly half-an-hour.

"Doctor has examined and declared all four dead," Director General of Tihar Jail Sandeep Goel said.

Even on last day, Nirbhaya convicts kept hoping against hope

TNN | Mar 20, 2020, 04.11 AM IST

NEW DELHI: A day before their scheduled execution, the four Nirbhaya convicts were anxious. They were eager to know about the plea filed for stay on hanging on Friday.

Jail officers were planning to keep an extra vigil on the convicts through Thursday night to ensure they don’t hurt themselves. All the staff, including the hangman, were counselled earlier in the day and their phones confiscated.

Sources said that the four convicts were also counselled. An excerpt from the Gita was read out to them and they were told about the karma.

“Pawan broke down after this and asked for forgiveness, while Mukesh kept on claiming that he was suffering for something he had not done. He blamed his past lives for this. Akshay said he had reformed himself and wanted to do something good for the society. Vinay was hopeful that the hanging would be stalled at the last moment,” a jail officer said.

On Thursday, the hangman conducted a dummy test using the actual hanging ropes. The whole hanging operation will be conducted by two officers of additional superintendent rank and monitored by Tihar DG Sandeep Goel.

A team of 50 jail officers have been tasked to ensure that the execution process is undertaken smoothly. The team has been divided into four groups to, respectively, look after security of the four convicts, preparation of the hanging well, coordination with the district magistrate and Delhi Police, and the post-execution formalities.

The families of the four convicts were waiting outside the jail gate since Thursday evening. Security around the jail premises may be tightened on Friday morning.

(The victim's identity has not been revealed to protect her privacy as per Supreme court directives on cases related to sexual assault)