‘Painful Parallels’ To Nirbhaya: SC Takes Suo Motu Cognisance Of Minor’s Gang-Rape, Flags Delhi’s Spate Of Rape Cases

New Delhi: A moving bus, a 16-year-old girl and an alleged gang-rape have now brought the Supreme Court into the picture. The top court on Monday took suo motu cognisance of the alleged gang-rape of the minor inside a moving bus in the Delhi-NCR region, stepping in amid mounting concerns over the safety of women and children in public spaces.

The case relates to the alleged sexual assault of the girl while she was travelling by bus from Greater Noida to Delhi on August 4. The Supreme Court's intervention comes against the backdrop of several recent rape cases involving minors in the national capital, prompting the bench to examine the larger question of public safety and the role of law enforcement and administrative authorities.

Four rape cases involving minors were reported in Delhi over the past two weeks, and the court highlighted concerns about inadequate lighting, surveillance and other facilities in places like parks and buses.

"These incidents starkly highlight a failure of law enforcement. Public spaces, including parks and buses, cannot be permitted to become zones of high risk due to lack of illumination, poor surveillance and other administrative facilities," the bench said.

The court also stressed that the right to live with dignity and without fear is protected as a fundamental right. Against the backdrop of the recent cases, the bench said, “One cannot help but draw painful parallels to the Nirbhaya incident of 2012.”

Four Cases In Two Weeks Put Delhi Safety Under Scanner

The Supreme Court's comments were made in the background of multiple cases involving young girls in Delhi.

On September 10, a 17-year-old girl went to meet a friend in Swaroop Nagar, which is located in northwest Delhi. The police said she was raped by her friend and his group and then killed. Her body was found on September 13 after she was stabbed eight times. Police arrested four suspects, including three minors.

Two days later, on September 14, a six-year-old girl was reportedly raped by a man on Deshbandhu Gupta Road in central Delhi. The accused, identified as Ankit, was arrested.

On September 17, an 11-year-old girl was reportedly raped inside a tailoring shop located in Sadar Bazaar, Old Delhi. The police have recognized the person accused as Maqsood, a 56-year-old man, who is said to have held the girl down before attacking her. He was taken into custody and placed in jail.

Another case was reported on September 21 at Aastha Kunj Park, which is located near the Kalkaji Temple. A 17-year-old girl was reportedly raped by three men who pretended to be police officers.

Police say the teenager went to Kalkaji Temple with a boy friend before they both went to the park. The three people accused are said to have approached them, pretending to be police officers, split the girl away from her friend, and took her to a lonely place, where she was reportedly raped. The three people accused, Asif, Hemant, and Mukesh, were taken into custody.

The events have also led to protests from students and women's groups, asking for more strict police measures and improved safety for women and children.

SC: ‘Expressing Solidarity Is Not A Solution’

The Supreme Court also asked about public comments that showed worry about the events, saying that just feeling worried isn't enough to fix the issue.

"Expressing solidarity is not a solution. What is required is a measurable response," the bench observed. The court raised concerns about how much responsibility law enforcement and public officials have in making everyday places safer. It specifically mentioned parks, buses, and roads, saying they shouldn't become places where people face greater dangers due to weak security systems.

The Delhi Police has been asked to provide a statement in court.

The action is happening because worries about the safety of women and kids have increased after the recent events in Delhi-NCR.

Nirbhaya Reference Brings 2012 Horror Back Into Focus

The Supreme Court mentioning the Nirbhaya case made people remember the December 2012 incident that shocked the nation and resulted in big changes to the laws about sexual crimes.

Nirbhaya, who was 23 years old and studying physiotherapy, was brutally attacked and raped by six individuals, one of whom was a minor, while she was on a bus that was moving in Delhi on December 16, 2012. She passed away in a hospital in Singapore on December 29.

The attack caused big protests all over the country and led to major changes in India's laws about sexual crimes and offenses against women.

During Monday's hearing, the judge asked if the lessons from that case had been properly learned."It's hard not to think of the 2012 Nirbhaya case and wonder if the right lessons have actually been taken on board." Sexual assault happens in the NCR even though people are supposed to feel safe in public. The court said that the right to live with dignity and be free from violence is a basic guarantee protected by Article 21 of the Constitution.

Safety Audit Ordered Across Delhi Parks

The recent cases have also led to action by the Delhi administration. On September 23, Delhi's Lieutenant Governor, Taranjit Singh Sandhu, told all the parks in the city to have a safety check done within a week after the Aastha Kunj incident happened.

The audit will check problems related to lighting, security, patrolling, and cleanliness. Pink Police staff have also been told to be stationed near parks.

The Supreme Court is worried about more than just parks, as the court has also looked into cases related to public transportation. A 16-year-old girl in Class 11 from Uttar Pradesh said that she was raped by a bus driver and conductor while she was traveling from Greater Noida to Delhi on August 4.

Police said the girl had reached Pari Chowk while going to Noida when she was offered a lift during heavy rain. The complaint says that during a 47-km trip, driver Kuldeep and conductor Sandeep allegedly attacked her, threatened to kill her, and then left her near the Kashmere Gate ISBT in Delhi.

The girl then went to the Kashmere Gate police station. Both people accused were taken into custody, the bus was taken away, and it's being checked by experts.

The Supreme Court on Monday also started looking into the case of the 16-year-old girl who was allegedly raped inside a moving bus, showing concern about the safety of women and children traveling in the Delhi-NCR area.