Release of Bilkis Bano gang rape case convicts flayed
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, August 19 2022:
While condemning the release of the 11 men convicted by the Bombay High Court in the Bilkis Bano gang rape case of 2002 from Godhra sub-jail on August 15 after a panel set up by the Gujarat government approved their application for remission of the sentence; All Manipur Nupi Marup has demanded that the convicts be re-arrested.
Issuing a statement in this regard, Nupi Marup secretary L Sumatibala said that the release of the convicted rapists is strongly condemnable and has made a mockery of the PM Narendra Modi s statements to empower and respect women made while delivering his speech during the 75th Independence celebrations.
On February 27, 2002, following the Sa-barmati Express Godhra train-burning incident in Godhra, Gujarat, 20-30 members of a local Hindu organisation attacked the nearby Muslim families.
On March 3, a group of 30 armed men attacked Bilkis Bano s family, brutally gang raped her and then killed 7 members of her family including her 3-year-old daughter.
She was then dumped without barely any clothes on her body at a nearby field, the statement recounted.
However, the 11 convicts involved in the crime were granted bail, which could only be considered as an affront on the rights and dignity of women.
This could set a bad precedent and compel other Fast Track Courts to release rapists in other cases.
Thus, Nupi Marup demanded the convicts in the Bilkis Bano case be arrested again.