Nirbhaya Case: The incident led to major changes in laws related to rape and sexual crimes.
Nearly five years after the
Nirbhaya incident, wherein a 23-year-old medical student was gangraped on a moving bus in the national capital, the Supreme Court today upheld the death penalty of the four adult convicts. The incident, triggered widespread protests across the country and led to major changes in laws related to rape, sexual harassment and delinquent acts.
Here are is a chronological summary of the events that transpired in the Nirbhaya rape and murder case:
2012December 16: A paramedical student is brutally gangraped by six men in a private bus in New Delhi. Her male friend was beaten up and they were thrown out of the moving vehicle. Subsequently, the two were admitted to Safdarjung Hospital.
December 17: Widespread protests erupt across the country demanding strict action against the accused; police identify four accused as bus driver Ram Singh, his brother Mukesh, Vinay Sharma and Pawan Gupta.
December 18: Police arrest the aforementioned four accused.
December 20: Police record the statement of Nirbhaya's friend.
December 21: The juvenile delinquent arrested from Delhi's Anand Vihar bus terminal. The friend identified Mukesh as one of the culprits. Raids conducted in Haryana and Bihar to arrest the sixth accused - identified as Akshay Thakur.
December 21, 22: Police arrest Akshay Thakur in Bihar's Aurangabad district and is subsequently, brought to Delhi to face trial. Nirbhaya records her statement in the hospital.
December 23: Protests break out in various parts of Delhi; prohibitory orders are defied and on-duty Delhi Police constable Subhas Tomar is rushed to the hospital with serious injuries.
December 25: Nirbhaya's condition declared critical whereas Subhas Tomar succumbs to his injuries.
December 26: Nirbhaya flown to Singapore's Mount Elizabeth Hospital by the government following a cardiac arrest.
December 29: Nirbhaya succumbs to her injuries and other medical conditions at 2.15 am. The accused will, now, also face a murder charge.
The incident led to widespread protests and outrage in the country.
Chief Justice Altamas Kabir brings in fast-track court for quick trial in sexual offences.
January 3: Chargesheet filed against the five adult accused, who will face trial for murder, gangrape, attempt to murder, kidnapping and unnatural offences and dacoity among others.
January 5: Court takes cognisance of the chargesheet.
January 7: Court orders in-camera proceedings.
January 17: Fast-track court starts proceedings agains the five accused.
January 28: Juvenile Justice Board confirms that the fifth accused is a minor.
February 2: Charges are framed against the five adults.
February 28: Charges framed against the juvenile.
March 11: The bus driver, Ram Singh, found hanging from his cell in Delhi's Tihar jail.
March 22: Delhi High Court allows media to report trial court's proceedings.
July 5: Juvenile Justice Board concludes trial; verdict reserved for July 11.
July 8: Fast-track court completes recording of testimonies of prosecution witnesses.
July 11: The juvenile is held guilty of illegally confining and robbing a carpenter on the night of December 16, before the incident.
August 22: Fast-track court begins final arguments against the remaining four accused.
August 31: The juvenile is convicted for murder and gangrape and sentenced to three-years at a probation home.
September 3: Fast-track court concludes trial.
September 10: Mukesh, Vinay, Akshay and Pawan found guilty of 13 offences including grangrape and murder.
September 13: The court sentences the four adult convicts to death.
September 23: High Court begins hearing the death sentence references sent by the trial court.
The Supreme Court upheld the death sentence of the four adult convicts.
High Court reserves verdict on the convicts' appeal.
March 13: The death penalty is upheld by the High Court.
March 15: Supreme Court issues stay-order on the death sentence.
April 15: The police is ordered by the top court to produce Nirbhaya's
dying declaration.
2015December 20: The juvenile - who was a few months short of 18 on December 16,2012 - is released from the correctional home, triggering widespread protests across the country.
2017February 3: Supreme Court says it would hear afresh the aspect of awarding death penalty to the convicts.
March 27: The Court reserves verdict on the convicts' appeal.
May 5: The
death sentence awarded to the four convicts is upheld. The Court states that the case falls under the 'rarest of rare' and added that the incident created a 'tsunami of shock'.
(with inputs from PTI)