Today, more than a decade after the 2012 Delhi gang rape, one of the convicted attackers—the youngest of the group—lives freely under a new identity.
This juvenile, who played a key role in the horrific assault, served just three years in a reform home, the maximum punishment under India’s juvenile justice laws.
NGOs and government agencies helped him reintegrate into society, even providing him with vocational training and financial support.
While his new life moves forward in secrecy, the memory of what happened that fateful night still haunts the nation.
This is the story of Jyoti Singh, a bright, ambitious 22-year-old woman, and the horrific crime that changed India’s laws and sparked a nationwide movement for women’s safety.
The Night of Horror
On December 16, 2012, Jyoti Singh and her friend Awindra Pratap Pandey went to watch the movie Life of Pi at a popular mall in South Delhi.
After the movie ended, they took an auto-rickshaw to the Munirka bus stand and boarded a private bus to Dwarka.
They paid ₹10 each, expecting a safe ride home.
What they didn’t know was that the bus was hijacked by six men, including the driver, Ram Singh.
The men had been drinking and had decided to “have some fun,” targeting anyone who boarded.
The bus soon veered off its route, and the men locked its doors.
When Awindra objected, they taunted the couple and quickly turned violent.
They beat him mercilessly with an iron rod, knocking him unconscious.
They then dragged Jyoti to the back of the bus, where all six men took turns raping her.
The attackers didn’t just stop at rape—they tortured her with an iron rod, causing unimaginable internal injuries.
Her intestines were severely damaged, with parts pulled out during the assault.
Bite marks were left all over her body, showing her desperate struggle to fight back.
For nearly an hour, the men brutalized Jyoti while the bus driver continued to drive around Delhi.
After the assault, the perpetrators threw Jyoti and Awindra out of the moving bus, leaving them naked and bleeding on a roadside.
They attempted to clean the bus to remove evidence, but the police caught up with them within 24 hours.
Rescue and the Fight for Life
A passerby found Jyoti and Awindra on the road and called the police.
They were rushed to Safdarjung Hospital in Delhi.
Doctors were shocked by the extent of Jyoti’s injuries.
Her internal organs were severely damaged, and she was in critical condition.
She underwent multiple surgeries, but her condition worsened as infections set in.
Amid rising public anger, the government transferred Jyoti to Singapore’s Mount Elizabeth Hospital, known for its expertise in treating complex injuries.
But it was too late.
On December 29, 2012, Jyoti succumbed to her injuries, leaving behind a grieving family and a nation in shock.
The Road to Justice
All six attackers were quickly arrested.
Among them was a juvenile, who was just shy of 18 years old.
Under India’s laws at the time, he could only be sentenced to three years in a reform home.
This sparked outrage, with many demanding that he be tried as an adult due to the brutality of his actions.
The other five were charged with rape, murder, and other crimes.
Ram Singh, the bus driver, died in prison under mysterious circumstances in March 2013, with officials claiming it was a suicide, though his family alleged foul play.
The remaining four—Mukesh Singh, Vinay Sharma, Pawan Gupta, and Akshay Thakur—were tried in a fast-track court.
In September 2013, they were found guilty and sentenced to death.
The verdict was celebrated across the country, with Jyoti’s family expressing relief.
Delays in Execution
Despite the death sentence, the legal process dragged on for years.
The convicts used every possible legal option to delay their execution.
They filed appeals in the High Court, the Supreme Court, and even mercy petitions with the President of India.
In 2017, the Supreme Court upheld their death sentence, calling the crime “barbaric” and one that “shocked the conscience of the nation.”
Yet, the execution was delayed further as the convicts filed review petitions, curative petitions, and fresh mercy pleas.
Mukesh Singh’s lawyer even argued bizarrely that the delay itself was grounds to reduce the sentence.
Another convict, Akshay Thakur, cited “Delhi’s pollution and poor air quality” as a reason for seeking clemency.
These repeated petitions frustrated Jyoti’s parents, who accused the convicts of exploiting loopholes in the legal system.
Finally, after multiple death warrants and cancellations, all legal options were exhausted.
On March 20, 2020, at 5:30 AM, Mukesh Singh, Vinay Sharma, Pawan Gupta, and Akshay Thakur were hanged at Tihar Jail.
The Juvenile and the Aftermath
The juvenile convict, who many believe was the most brutal of all, completed his three-year sentence in a reform home and was released in December 2015.
NGOs facilitated his rehabilitation, providing him with a sewing machine and vocational training to help him start a new life.
His identity was changed to protect him from public backlash, and he now lives a free life with state support.
Jyoti’s parents, devastated by this development, have repeatedly called for stricter laws for juveniles involved in heinous crimes.
Their efforts led to the Juvenile Justice Act being amended in 2015, allowing juveniles aged 16 and above to be tried as adults in cases of heinous crimes.
A Legacy of Change
Jyoti Singh’s death was not in vain.
It led to sweeping legal reforms, including the Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, 2013, which introduced harsher penalties for sexual offenses and created fast-track courts for such cases.
The Nirbhaya Fund was set up to support initiatives for women’s safety, though its utilization remains a topic of debate.
Yet, Jyoti’s parents remind the nation that the fight is far from over.
“Our daughter didn’t just die that night,” her mother once said.
“She gave a voice to millions of women. But until every woman is safe, her fight continues.”
This is the story of Nirbhaya—a story of unimaginable horror, a nation’s outrage, and the slow, painful pursuit of justice.
It’s a reminder of how far we’ve come and how much more remains to be done.
