The <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/no-question-of-nrc-in-bihar-pm-has-clarified-his-stand-on-it-nitish-kumar-273931">Supreme Court</a> on Tuesday dismissed the curative petition of the two death row convicts in the 2012 Nirbhaya gang-rape case. 
 
A five-judge Bench of Justices <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/supreme-court-orders-review-on-all-restrictive-orders-in-jammu-and-kashmir-after-article-370-abrogation-273307">NV Ramana</a>, Arun Mishra, RF Nariman, R Banumathi and Ashok Bhushan heard the petition filed by Vinay Sharma and Mukesh Singh.

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SC's 5-judge bench, headed by Justice NV Ramana, starts hearing curative petitions filed by two Delhi 2012 gangrape&amp;murder case convicts Vinay&amp;Mukesh, in a chamber hearing.Curative petitions are decided in-chambers by judges. It' the last&amp;final legal remedy available to convicts. <a href="https://t.co/l7Lt8tKoiA">pic.twitter.com/l7Lt8tKoiA</a>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1216999960861790208?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 14, 2020</a></blockquote>
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The duo had moved a curative petition in the top court after a Delhi court issued death warrants in their names for their hanging on January 22. 
 
Besides them, two other convicts named Pawan and Akshay are also slated to be <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/days-after-death-warrant-nirbhaya-case-convict-files-curative-plea-before-supreme-court-273126">executed</a> on the same day at 7 am in Delhi's Tihar Jail premises. 
 
They were convicted and sentenced to death for raping a 23-year-old woman in a moving bus in the national capital on the intervening night of December 16-17, 2012.

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Asha Devi, mother of 2012 Delhi gang-rape victim: This is a big day for me. I had been struggling for the last 7 years. But the biggest day will be 22nd January when they (convicts) will be hanged. <a href="https://t.co/GBfPt9ezIb">https://t.co/GBfPt9ezIb</a> <a href="https://t.co/uMPcVfP7Sf">pic.twitter.com/uMPcVfP7Sf</a>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1217009067983458304?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 14, 2020</a></blockquote>
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The victim, who was later given the name <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/tihar-jail-to-conduct-dummy-execution-of-nirbhaya-convicts-before-january-22-272825">Nirbhaya</a>, had succumbed to injuries at a hospital in Singapore where she had been airlifted for medical treatment. 
 
A curative petition is the last judicial resort available for the redressal of grievances. Curative petitions are decided in-chambers by the judges. 
 
If it is rejected, they are legally bound to move a mercy petition. It is filed before the President who has the power to commute it to life imprisonment. 
 
The court after issuing a black warrant in their name gave them two weeks time to file both the curative and mercy petitions.

The Supreme Court on Tuesday dismissed the curative petition of the two death row convicts in the 2012 Nirbhaya gang-rape case. A five-judge Bench of Justices NV Ramana, Arun Mishra, RF Nariman, R Banumathi and Ashok Bhushan heard the petition filed by Vinay Sharma and Mukesh Singh.

The Supreme Court on Tuesday dismissed the curative petition of the two death row convicts in the 2012 Nirbhaya gang-rape case. A five-judge Bench of Justices NV Ramana, Arun Mishra, RF Nariman, R Banumathi and Ashok Bhushan heard the petition filed by Vinay Sharma and Mukesh Singh. SC's 5-judge bench, headed by Justice NV Ramana, starts hearing curative petitions filed by two Delhi 2012 gangrape&murder case convicts Vinay&Mukesh, in a chamber hearing.Curative petitions are decided in-chambers by judges. It' the last&final legal remedy available to convicts. pic.twitter.com/l7Lt8tKoiA — ANI (@ANI) January 14, 2020 × The duo had moved a curative petition in the top court after a Delhi court issued death warrants in their names for their hanging on January 22. Besides them, two other convicts named Pawan and Akshay are also slated to be executed on the same day at 7 am in Delhi's Tihar Jail premises. They were convicted and sentenced to death for raping a 23-year-old woman in a moving bus in the national capital on the intervening night of December 16-17, 2012. Asha Devi, mother of 2012 Delhi gang-rape victim: This is a big day for me. I had been struggling for the last 7 years. But the biggest day will be 22nd January when they (convicts) will be hanged. https://t.co/GBfPt9ezIb pic.twitter.com/uMPcVfP7Sf — ANI (@ANI) January 14, 2020 × The victim, who was later given the name Nirbhaya, had succumbed to injuries at a hospital in Singapore where she had been airlifted for medical treatment. A curative petition is the last judicial resort available for the redressal of grievances. Curative petitions are decided in-chambers by the judges. If it is rejected, they are legally bound to move a mercy petition. It is filed before the President who has the power to commute it to life imprisonment. The court after issuing a black warrant in their name gave them two weeks time to file both the curative and mercy petitions.

Supreme Court dismisses Nirbhaya convicts curative pleas

The Rajya Sabha (Upper House) adjourned on Friday after an uproar over Rahul Gandhi's remark against Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Taking a dig at the rising incidents of rapes in India, Senior Congress leader Gandhi on Thursday said that the prime minister talked about 'Make in India' but nowadays wherever you look, it is 'Rape in India' in a rally in Jharkhand.

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Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha adjourned till 12 pm after uproar over Rahul Gandhi's 'Rape in India' remark <a href="https://t.co/HFMX24N3eo">pic.twitter.com/HFMX24N3eo</a>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1205368066835509249?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 13, 2019</a></blockquote>
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Union minister Smriti Irani slammed Gandhi for his remarks against the PM, adding that it is an insult to the nation and an invitation to the rapists. Irani also said that Gandhi should be punished for his remarks.&nbsp;

"This is first time in history that a leader is giving a clarion call that Indian women should be raped. Is this Rahul Gandhi's message to the people of the country?" Irani said.&nbsp;

A group of leaders in the Rajya Sabha sloganeered "Rahul Gandhi maafi maango (Rahul Gandhi apologise)".&nbsp;

Rajya Sabha Chairman Venkaiah Naidu urged the members to maintain decorum and added that a member's name cannot be taken who is not a part of the house, referring to Gandhi. However, the House was later adjourned.&nbsp;

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Few MPs in Rajya Sabha raise slogans of 'Rahul Gandhi maafi maango' over Rahul Gandhi's 'rape in India' remark; Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu says, "you cannot take the name of a person who is not a member of this House. No body has the business to disturb the House". <a href="https://t.co/Ojp2BthDBO">pic.twitter.com/Ojp2BthDBO</a>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1205366675421315072?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 13, 2019</a></blockquote>
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Earlier, Gandhi had also said that the international community ridicules India and the country is known as the "rape capital" of the world.&nbsp;

The Rajya Sabha (Upper House) adjourned on Friday after an uproar over Rahul Gandhi's remark against Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Taking a dig at the rising incidents of rapes in India, Senior Congress leader Gandhi on Thursday said that the prime minister talked about 'Make in India' but nowadays wherever you look, it is 'Rape in India' in a rally in Jharkhand.

The Rajya Sabha (Upper House) adjourned on Friday after an uproar over Rahul Gandhi's remark against Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Taking a dig at the rising incidents of rapes in India, Senior Congress leader Gandhi on Thursday said that the prime minister talked about 'Make in India' but nowadays wherever you look, it is 'Rape in India' in a rally in Jharkhand. Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha adjourned till 12 pm after uproar over Rahul Gandhi's 'Rape in India' remark pic.twitter.com/HFMX24N3eo — ANI (@ANI) December 13, 2019 × Union minister Smriti Irani slammed Gandhi for his remarks against the PM, adding that it is an insult to the nation and an invitation to the rapists. Irani also said that Gandhi should be punished for his remarks. "This is first time in history that a leader is giving a clarion call that Indian women should be raped. Is this Rahul Gandhi's message to the people of the country?" Irani said. A group of leaders in the Rajya Sabha sloganeered "Rahul Gandhi maafi maango (Rahul Gandhi apologise)". Rajya Sabha Chairman Venkaiah Naidu urged the members to maintain decorum and added that a member's name cannot be taken who is not a part of the house, referring to Gandhi. However, the House was later adjourned. Few MPs in Rajya Sabha raise slogans of 'Rahul Gandhi maafi maango' over Rahul Gandhi's 'rape in India' remark; Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu says, "you cannot take the name of a person who is not a member of this House. No body has the business to disturb the House". pic.twitter.com/Ojp2BthDBO — ANI (@ANI) December 13, 2019 × Earlier, Gandhi had also said that the international community ridicules India and the country is known as the "rape capital" of the world.

Rajya Sabha adjourned after uproar over Rahul Gandhi's remark

Grotesque and barbaric is the only way to describe the rape and murder of an eight-year-old child, in a country where women and girls are traditionally revered as Goddesses.

There have been numerous cases of rape across the country, however, the story of the little girl from Kathua, who was sedated, gang-raped, tortured and then murdered has haunted us all. She was killed in January 2018, but the details of the case grabbed national headlines only in April this was partly due to the heinous nature of the crime, and disturbing allegations that the child's treatment was the result of a concerted plan of action to drive out the nomadic Muslim community which her family belongs to.

Since then, the media in India has been awash with case after case of babies and girls being raped across India, with little to no action taking place to prevent this deluge of sexual assault and violence. From an eight-month-old baby girl in Indore, to a nine-year-old in Etah, Uttar Pradesh, to a 10-year-old girl in Chhattisgarh, to the rape of a 16-year-old in Unnao, Uttar Pradesh (allegedly by a leader in the Bharatiya Janata Party, India's ruling party), there is seemingly a new atrocious daily headline on the rape and murder of a child.

All the while, elected officials have either been shockingly silent, or have spoken out too late, and some have even shown their active support for the accused perpetrators of such crimes.

Have we become so numbed in India that such revelations no longer hold any shock value for us? Has the simple humanity of protecting our innocent and helpless children from harm, the most important duty of every adult in India, forsaken us?

Consider this. In 2016, over 19,000 cases of rape were registered in India. In 2017, in India's capital Delhi, an average of five rapes was reported every day. In response, through an executive order and cabinet approval, the Indian government introduced the death penalty for those found guilty of the rape of a child under the age of 12.

Globally, death sentences are coming to an end. It is my personal belief that the death penalty will have little or no effect, however heinous the crime is. As Friedrich Nietzsche said, "When fighting a monster, be careful not to become a monster yourself."

The issue India is grappling with at present is an endemic, societal problem and no quick fixes are likely to solve it. Harsh penalties alone will not be a deterrent. As the malaise is systemic, so too should be the cure.

So here is a four-tier approach:

First, it is important to increase the reporting of rape and assault. Across the world rape is a generally underreported crime this is all the more true in India. It is essential that women and children be educated on their rights on reporting of a violent act against them through an active social media campaign.

Secondly, it is absolutely vital that law enforcers are trained to react swiftly and with sensitivity to women and children who have been harassed, assaulted or raped. Sensitivity training and knowledge of the rights of women and children are another vital need and must be made mandatory for all law enforcement agencies.

Thirdly, punishments need to be exemplary and widely covered in the media. There must be a "shock and awe" campaign of zero tolerance against sex offenders and those who kill and violate women and children. Fast track courts must ensure that the law is surgical and unrelenting in pursuing and ensuring that such offenders face the full force of justice, regardless of their rank and station.

And finally, a nationwide campaign is needed to ignite values and traditions that respect and nurture women and children. This can only be borne out of consensus in society. Awareness among men of the scope of this issue is critical. Men who turn a blind eye to such brutal acts in their own neighbourhoods, communities and families are just as culpable as those that perpetrate these acts. Action from courts and police will not suffice if the community remains defiantly opposed to change.

So the biggest question remains: How exactly to engage the entire populace to initiate a change in mindset? How can a national conversation on this subject be leveraged into national action?

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Have we become so numbed in India that such revelations no longer hold any shock value for us?

Grotesque and barbaric is the only way to describe the rape and murder of an eight-year-old child, in a country where women and girls are traditionally revered as Goddesses. There have been numerous cases of rape across the country, however, the story of the little girl from Kathua, who was sedated, gang-raped, tortured and then murdered has haunted us all. She was killed in January 2018, but the details of the case grabbed national headlines only in April this was partly due to the heinous nature of the crime, and disturbing allegations that the child's treatment was the result of a concerted plan of action to drive out the nomadic Muslim community which her family belongs to. Since then, the media in India has been awash with case after case of babies and girls being raped across India, with little to no action taking place to prevent this deluge of sexual assault and violence. From an eight-month-old baby girl in Indore, to a nine-year-old in Etah, Uttar Pradesh, to a 10-year-old girl in Chhattisgarh, to the rape of a 16-year-old in Unnao, Uttar Pradesh (allegedly by a leader in the Bharatiya Janata Party, India's ruling party), there is seemingly a new atrocious daily headline on the rape and murder of a child. All the while, elected officials have either been shockingly silent, or have spoken out too late, and some have even shown their active support for the accused perpetrators of such crimes. Have we become so numbed in India that such revelations no longer hold any shock value for us? Has the simple humanity of protecting our innocent and helpless children from harm, the most important duty of every adult in India, forsaken us? Consider this. In 2016, over 19,000 cases of rape were registered in India. In 2017, in India's capital Delhi, an average of five rapes was reported every day. In response, through an executive order and cabinet approval, the Indian government introduced the death penalty for those found guilty of the rape of a child under the age of 12. Globally, death sentences are coming to an end. It is my personal belief that the death penalty will have little or no effect, however heinous the crime is. As Friedrich Nietzsche said, "When fighting a monster, be careful not to become a monster yourself." The issue India is grappling with at present is an endemic, societal problem and no quick fixes are likely to solve it. Harsh penalties alone will not be a deterrent. As the malaise is systemic, so too should be the cure. So here is a four-tier approach: First, it is important to increase the reporting of rape and assault. Across the world rape is a generally underreported crime this is all the more true in India. It is essential that women and children be educated on their rights on reporting of a violent act against them through an active social media campaign. Secondly, it is absolutely vital that law enforcers are trained to react swiftly and with sensitivity to women and children who have been harassed, assaulted or raped. Sensitivity training and knowledge of the rights of women and children are another vital need and must be made mandatory for all law enforcement agencies. Thirdly, punishments need to be exemplary and widely covered in the media. There must be a "shock and awe" campaign of zero tolerance against sex offenders and those who kill and violate women and children. Fast track courts must ensure that the law is surgical and unrelenting in pursuing and ensuring that such offenders face the full force of justice, regardless of their rank and station. And finally, a nationwide campaign is needed to ignite values and traditions that respect and nurture women and children. This can only be borne out of consensus in society. Awareness among men of the scope of this issue is critical. Men who turn a blind eye to such brutal acts in their own neighbourhoods, communities and families are just as culpable as those that perpetrate these acts. Action from courts and police will not suffice if the community remains defiantly opposed to change. So the biggest question remains: How exactly to engage the entire populace to initiate a change in mindset? How can a national conversation on this subject be leveraged into national action? (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Opinion: Suggestions to prevent Kathua-like incidents

All-female police units are shaking up the male-dominated force in conservative northwest India, hitting the streets to combat sex crimes and a pervasive culture of silence around rape.

One such squad in Jaipur has been patrolling bus stops, colleges and parks where women are vulnerable to sexual harassment.&nbsp;

Women can face a barrage on India&#39;s streets, enduring everything from lewd jokes and strangers following them -- often dismissed as innocent &quot;Eve teasing&quot; -- to physical attacks and rape.

&quot;The message we want to send out is that we have zero tolerance towards crimes against women,&quot; said Kamal Shekhawat, who heads the specialist Jaipur unit established in late May.

India has a gruesome record on sex crimes, with nearly 40,000 rapes reported every year. But the real figure is thought to be much higher, with victims wary of how their complaints will be dealt with.

India&#39;s police force is overwhelmingly male -- women make up just seven per cent of officers -- and activists complain that victims are often judged by their appearance, asked probing questions, or even blamed for provoking the crime. &nbsp;&nbsp;

The shame attached to rape in India&#39;s deeply patriarchal society, and fear of reprisal, means many sex crimes are not reported and offenders go unpunished.

Shekhawat hopes the visible presence of female officers on the beat will encourage more women in Jaipur to report their abusers knowing they will find a sympathetic ear.

&quot;Women police are more empathetic and victims also feel more confident and are able to communicate openly before them,&quot; she said.

&nbsp;

Boosting confidence&nbsp;

At a park in Jaipur, constable Saroj Chodhuary dismounted from her scooter and approached a group of sari-clad women to introduce herself.

&quot;You can just make a call or even message on WhatsApp and we will be right there,&quot; she said, clad in khaki uniform and white helmet as she passed around her details.

&quot;Your identity will not be revealed, so you can feel free to register your complaint. If someone makes cat calls or troubles you in any way, do let us know. Don&#39;t take law in your own hands.&quot;

The women appear impressed by her authority -- Chodhuary and her colleagues are trained in martial arts and spent months learning the law -- and relieved to know help was just a phone call away.

Radha Jhabua, a 24-year-old mother, said she wanted to complain about a neighbour stalking her but her husband feared it would bring the family a bad name. &quot;He told me to keep quiet and wait for the man to change his ways. I am glad we can now just send a Whatsapp message to these sisters and they will take care of the rest,&quot; she told AFP.

Seema Sahu, a 38-year-old mother of two, said she usually avoided going out at night with her daughters. &quot;I am so glad now these police women will be on the roads. Their very presence gives us confidence,&quot; she said.

&nbsp;

Restoring order

India faced international scrutiny over levels of violence against women following the fatal gang-rape of a medical student in New Delhi in December 2012.&nbsp;

Laws to punish sex offenders were strengthened in the aftermath, but attacks are still widespread. In the capital New Delhi alone there were 2,199 rape cases in 2015 -- an average of six a day.&nbsp;

India&#39;s police has been ordered to recruit more female officers so women make up a third of the force.

But so far, their numbers remain low. The Jaipur unit is just the second in Rajasthan state, with the first established in Udaipur last October.

&nbsp;

Uttar Pradesh

Police in neighbouring Uttar Pradesh have come under fire for their controversial approach to combat sex-related crimes in the notoriously lawless state.

There officers, including women, patrolling in so-called &quot;anti-Romeo squads&quot; have been accused of harassing unmarried and interfaith couples in an effort to enforce a moral code reflecting Hindu values.

Shekhawat said no such methods would be adopted under her watch.

&quot;We have seen a very good impact and positive results wherever our teams are on patrol,&quot; she said. &quot;It is having a preventive effect. It is restoring the faith of the public in the police which is a must for maintaining law and order.&quot;

Men are taking note, too.

&quot;It&#39;s a very good move. When a man gets rounded up by these women, others will automatically feel the heat. They will have to mend their ways,&quot; said Jaipur resident Ram Lal Gujar.

The visible presence of female officers in conservative northwest India may make women less vulnerable

All-female police units are shaking up the male-dominated force in conservative northwest India, hitting the streets to combat sex crimes and a pervasive culture of silence around rape. One such squad in Jaipur has been patrolling bus stops, colleges and parks where women are vulnerable to sexual harassment. Women can face a barrage on India's streets, enduring everything from lewd jokes and strangers following them -- often dismissed as innocent "Eve teasing" -- to physical attacks and rape. "The message we want to send out is that we have zero tolerance towards crimes against women," said Kamal Shekhawat, who heads the specialist Jaipur unit established in late May. India has a gruesome record on sex crimes, with nearly 40,000 rapes reported every year. But the real figure is thought to be much higher, with victims wary of how their complaints will be dealt with. India's police force is overwhelmingly male -- women make up just seven per cent of officers -- and activists complain that victims are often judged by their appearance, asked probing questions, or even blamed for provoking the crime. The shame attached to rape in India's deeply patriarchal society, and fear of reprisal, means many sex crimes are not reported and offenders go unpunished. Shekhawat hopes the visible presence of female officers on the beat will encourage more women in Jaipur to report their abusers knowing they will find a sympathetic ear. "Women police are more empathetic and victims also feel more confident and are able to communicate openly before them," she said. Boosting confidence At a park in Jaipur, constable Saroj Chodhuary dismounted from her scooter and approached a group of sari-clad women to introduce herself. "You can just make a call or even message on WhatsApp and we will be right there," she said, clad in khaki uniform and white helmet as she passed around her details. "Your identity will not be revealed, so you can feel free to register your complaint. If someone makes cat calls or troubles you in any way, do let us know. Don't take law in your own hands." The women appear impressed by her authority -- Chodhuary and her colleagues are trained in martial arts and spent months learning the law -- and relieved to know help was just a phone call away. Radha Jhabua, a 24-year-old mother, said she wanted to complain about a neighbour stalking her but her husband feared it would bring the family a bad name. "He told me to keep quiet and wait for the man to change his ways. I am glad we can now just send a Whatsapp message to these sisters and they will take care of the rest," she told AFP. Seema Sahu, a 38-year-old mother of two, said she usually avoided going out at night with her daughters. "I am so glad now these police women will be on the roads. Their very presence gives us confidence," she said. Restoring order India faced international scrutiny over levels of violence against women following the fatal gang-rape of a medical student in New Delhi in December 2012. Laws to punish sex offenders were strengthened in the aftermath, but attacks are still widespread. In the capital New Delhi alone there were 2,199 rape cases in 2015 -- an average of six a day. India's police has been ordered to recruit more female officers so women make up a third of the force. But so far, their numbers remain low. The Jaipur unit is just the second in Rajasthan state, with the first established in Udaipur last October. Uttar Pradesh Police in neighbouring Uttar Pradesh have come under fire for their controversial approach to combat sex-related crimes in the notoriously lawless state. There officers, including women, patrolling in so-called "anti-Romeo squads" have been accused of harassing unmarried and interfaith couples in an effort to enforce a moral code reflecting Hindu values. Shekhawat said no such methods would be adopted under her watch. "We have seen a very good impact and positive results wherever our teams are on patrol," she said. "It is having a preventive effect. It is restoring the faith of the public in the police which is a must for maintaining law and order." Men are taking note, too. "It's a very good move. When a man gets rounded up by these women, others will automatically feel the heat. They will have to mend their ways," said Jaipur resident Ram Lal Gujar.

India's all-women police units shaking up male-dominated force

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Supreme Court dismisses Nirbhaya convicts curative pleas

Rajya Sabha adjourned after uproar over Rahul Gandhi's remark

Opinion: Suggestions to prevent Kathua-like incidents

India's all-women police units shaking up male-dominated force