Convicts' lawyer challenged me, said they won't be executed, says Nirbhaya's mother

Asha Devi, mother of the 2012 Delhi gang-rape victim, broke into tears after a Delhi court on Friday stayed till further orders, the execution of the Nirbhaya gang-rape and murder convicts, which was earlier scheduled to take place on February 1.

Asha Devi said the convicts' lawyer challenged her in court premises and said the convicts will never be executed.

"I am not pained at the fact that execution has been postponed but I am pained at the fact that the lawyer of the convicts AP Singh has challenged me saying that the convicts will never be executed, this is the most painful thing," said Asha Devi

Asha Devi also said that the justice system of the country has loopholes and that the system needs rethinking.

"I have been sitting here since 10 a.m. in the hope that we will get justice. The government and the lawyers are giving the convicts chances to take advantage of the loopholes in the system. All I would like to say is that it is because of the loopholes in the system that the convicts' lawyer was able to challenge me in the court premises. The courts now have to ponder over it. This is what the convicts wanted, they wanted their hanging to be postponed for an indefinite period," said Asha.

She reiterated that she will continue her fight until she gets justice and said," I will continue my fight. The government will have to execute the convicts."

Advocate Seema Kushwaha, representing the victim's side, said, "The hanging has been postponed not dismissed, they will have to be executed. I am disappointed but I have not lost hope and I will make sure that they are hanged."

Kushwaha further added that the judicial system now needs reform.

"I am unable to understand why is the judiciary giving them relief? The judicial and police system needs reforms," she added.

The case pertains to the gang-rape of a 23-year-old paramedical student in a moving bus on the night of December 16, 2012, by six people including a juvenile in Delhi. The woman had died at a Singapore hospital a few days later.

One of the five adults accused, Ram Singh, had allegedly committed suicide in the Tihar Jail during the trial of the case.