Nirbhaya case: 4 years on, 'juvenile' convict a cook at dhaba in South India

New Delhi: A year after he walked free, the juvenile from the December 16, 2012 gang rape in Delhi is now working as a cook at a dhaba in south India.

According to a report in Hindustan Times, while the juvenile was trained in painting, tailoring and cooking during his three-year stay at north Delhi’s ‘Majnu Ka Tila’ shelter home, cooking was the profession the 22-year-old chose to pursue.  

“After his release on December 20, 2015, he was kept with a NGO for a few days. Later, the NGO rehabilitated him to the southern part of the country. He is currently working at a roadside eatery,” an officer, who was part of his rehabilitation programme was quoted as saying.

However, authorities did not disclose his location, fearing a threat to his life.

Even though the then-juvenile became notorious after he was found guilty of raping and killing the 23-year-old physiotherapist, the officer said that not many are aware of his background. He was 11 when he fled home, 240 km from Delhi. His elder sister fends for the family of six — ailing mother, younger siblings and bedridden father -- by herself. The family still lives in the same village.

After leaving home, the convict came to Delhi to earn money and got in touch with Ram Singh and the other accused. He used to clean the bus in which the rape occurred. His friends would give him food in return. They had asked him to accompany them on that eventful night too.

A number of welfare officers and a counsellor, who spoke to him at the correction home, said he was the most disciplined inmate and used to call his mother often during his time at the shelter.

The report also stated that he turned religious soon after coming to the shelter. He grew a beard and started offering namaz five times a day. Initially, he was kept away from the other inmates. But during the last year of his stay, he shared the dormitory with a high court blast accused.