2012 Delhi gang rape and murder

The Nirbhaya case, involved a rape and fatal assault that occurred on 16 December 2012 in Munirka, a neighbourhood in South West Delhi.

The incident took place when Jyoti Singh, a 22-year-old physiotherapy intern, was beaten, gang-raped, and tortured in a private bus in which she was travelling with her male friend, Awindra Pratap Pandey.

The victims, a 22-year-old woman, Jyoti Singh and her male friend, were returning home on the night of 16 December 2012 after watching the film Life of Pi at PVR Select City Walk, Saket, South Delhi. They boarded the bus at Munirka for Dwarka at about 9:30 pm (IST).

There were only six others in the bus, including the driver. One of the men, identified as a minor, had called for passengers telling them that the bus

was going towards their destination.

Her friend became suspicious when the bus deviated from its normal route and its doors were shut. When he objected, the group of six men already on board, including the driver, taunted the couple, asking what they were doing alone at such a late hour.

During the argument, a scuffle ensued between her friend and the group of men. He was beaten, gagged and knocked unconscious with an iron rod. The men then dragged Jyoti to the rear of the bus, beating her with the rod and raping her while the bus driver continued to drive.

A medical report later said that she suffered serious injuries to her abdomen, intestines and genitals due to the assault, and doctors said that the damage indicated that a blunt object (suspected to be the iron rod) may have been used for penetration.

That rod was later described by police as being a rusted, L-shaped implement of the type used as a wheel jack handle.

According to police reports Jyoti attempted to fight off her assailants, biting three of the attackers and leaving bite marks on the accused men.

After the beatings and rape ended, the attackers threw both victims from the moving bus. One of the perpetrators later cleaned the vehicle to remove evidence. Police impounded it the next day.

The partially clothed victims were found on the road by a passerby at around 11 pm. The passerby called the Delhi Police who took the couple to Safdarjung Hospital, where Jyoti was given emergency treatment and placed on mechanical ventilation.

She was found with injury marks, including numerous bite marks, all over her body.

According to reports, one of the accused men admitted to having seen a rope-like object, assumed to be her intestines, being pulled out of the woman by the other assailants on the bus.

Two blood-stained metal rods were retrieved from the bus and medical staff confirmed that "it was penetration by this that caused massive damage

to her genitals, uterus and intestines".

The incident generated widespread national and international coverage and was widely condemned, both in India and abroad. Subsequently, public protests against the state and central governments for failing to provide adequate security for women

took place in New Delhi, where thousands of protesters clashed with security forces.

Similar protests took place in major cities throughout the country.