Nirbhaya gang-rape case: Juvenile rapist shifted to undisclosed location, parents launch protest

According to media reports, the juvenile convict in Delhi gang-rape case has been shifted from Timarpur ahead of release, slated for Saturday, due to security reasons.

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New Delhi: A day before his release, the December 16, 2012 juvenile rapist in Delhi gang-rape case has been shifted out of correctional home and taken to an undisclosed location on Saturday evening.

According to media reports, the juvenile convict has been shifted from Timarpur ahead of release, which is scheduled to be held tomorrow, due to security reasons.

The rapist, now 21, is likely to be monitored by the Juvenile Justice Board, which will decide on his rehabilitation, "social mainstreaming", and even whether he should be returned to his family.

Legal options to stop his release are open till Sunday and both the Delhi government and the state Women's Commission are considering them.

Meanwhile, the victim's parents came out in protest against the release of the juvenile convict.

Nirbhaya’s parents protest outside juvenile reform home against release of juvenile convict. pic.twitter.com/eN8SSlUp6O — ANI (@ANI_news) December 19, 2015

The Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) had said that it will challenge the release by writing to President Pranab Mukherjee, and the chief justices of the Supreme Court and the Delhi High Court.

BJP leader Subramanian Swamy had moved a plea seeking a stay on the juvenile's release.

Apart from Swamy, the Centre had also asked the High Court to extend the observation of home stay of the juvenile convict in December 16, 2012 gang-rape case, saying several mandatory aspects were missing from the post-release rehabilitation plan which needed to be considered before setting him free.

The convict was just a few months short of 18 when he and five others attacked 23-year-old para medical student and her male friend on the night of December 16, 2012, an incident that shook India to the core and led to protests in the country as well as abroad. Four of the rapists have been sentenced to death and a fifth was found dead in prison.

The youngest convict's punishment was seen as disproportionate to the enormity of his crime and led to a debate about whether India was too soft on teen offenders involved in serious crimes like rape and murder.