Deliver verdict in rape cases in days equivalent to victim's age: Harsimrat

A day after the Parliament roared in unison demanding stricter punishment for rapists, union minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal on Tuesday (December 3) said verdict in rape cases should be pronounced in as many days as the age of the victim.

Such heinous crimes against women show that “we have failed our daughters. It is high time we do something about it,” Badal said.

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Stressing on the importance of speedy trial and severe punishment, she said, “I urge the government that in rape cases judgement should be pronounced in the number of days equivalent to the age of the victim. So if the victim is 20 years old, the trial must conclude in 20 days.”

The younger the victim, the faster the trial will be, the minister said. And once granted death penalty, rapists should not be allowed to file a mercy plea, she added.

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This comes days after the rape and murder of a 25-year-old veterinarian, whose charred body was found under a culvert near Hyderabad last Thursday. The incident triggered widespread outrage across the country and a heated discussion in both the Houses of the Parliament.

Meanwhile, over 15 lakh people from across the country signed petitions on ‘Change.org’ in the last four days seeking justice for the Hyderabad rape victim.

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Started on November 29, the petition gathered 3 lakh supporters in just 24 hours and continued to grow rapidly, according to a statement by Change.org.

“Within four days, over 500 petitions have been started by regular citizens in an attempt to register protest and anger and the biggest petition that has gathered the signatures of over 8 lakh people has been started by another veterinarian from Mumbai Dr Shantanu Kodape,” the statement said.

(With inputs from agencies)