India has executed four men for the gang rape and murder of a woman on a Delhi bus.
The incident which happened in 2012, sparked huge nationwide protests and international revulsion.
The four rapists were hanged before dawn on Friday March 20th, 2020 at Tihar jail in the Indian capital.
The head of the prison, Sandeep Goel, noted that this judgment was the first in India’s use of capital punishment since 2015.
Those hanged on Friday were gym instructor Vinay Sharma, bus cleaner Akshay Thakur, fruit seller Pawan Gupta and Mukesh Singh, unemployed. They were all sentenced to death by a fast-track court.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a Twitter post said, “Justice has prevailed.”
“It is of utmost importance to ensure dignity and safety of women,” he added.
“Today, justice has been done after seven years,”
Victim’s Mother.
Hundreds of police were deployed outside the jail to control a crowd that waited to celebrate the execution. Some held placards that read “Justice for women” and “Hang the culprits”.
“Today, justice has been done after seven years,” the victim’s mother told reporters outside the prison. “I salute Indian judiciary and thank God for hearing our prayers … my daughter’s soul can now rest in peace.”
