: The Delhi High Court’s decision to release the juvenile convict was met with disappointment from the residents of Ravi Dass Camp, home to four of the rapists.
When The Hindu arrived in the serpentine lanes of this South Delhi slum, many residents avoided questions by claiming they weren’t here on the fateful night, while others said they were new to the locality. Most refused to be photographed and some didn’t even want to be identified.
Their hesitation, however, should not be mistaken for a lack of opinion, as most argued against the decision to release the juvenile.
Raja Ram, who owns a poultry meat shack, said “The ‘nabalik’ (juvenile) has brought untold misery to the country, much like his other accomplices. He should face the same punishment as others.”
Another resident, Omkar Yadav, said, “the juvenile cannot be trusted” with the lives of our “maa-behen (mother, sister)”.A group of men sitting by a bonfire had a different opinion: “He is a kid, and must be let off.” This however, earned criticism from another aged man, who said that “loopholes in the law has led to the juvenile being released.”
(The author is an intern with The Hindu)
