'Fed-up' DCW chief demands 'death penalty' for child rapists

Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) Chief Swati Maliwal on Monday said that she was "completely heartbroken" and "fed up" with the increasing number of child rapes in the capital.

"I am fed up of child rapes in the capital. A few days ago, a brutally raped one and half-year-old girl underwent surgery for one and half hour in the hospital. Even three days were not over and now a seven-year-old girl is gang-raped. She underwent a surgery for two hours and I am going to spend the entire night with her in solidarity," she said.

The seven-year-old girl was raped on November 4 in Delhi's Kanjhawala area. Two juvenile boys lured her for a bicycle ride and committed the crime.

The Police arrested the accused on POCSO charges and sent them to juvenile detention center. The victim is admitted in a critical condition in Bhim Rao Ambedkar hospital.

"What's wrong with Delhi? Their eyes haunt me, they ask me thousands of question which I don't have an answer for. Who will answer these questions," she asked.

Urging Home Minister Rajnath Singh to constitute a high-level committee, Maliwal said "I need the system to ensure death penalty for child rapist within six months. Then only fear, deterrence will be created and people's mentality will change."

"Since the last two years, I have been literally begging in front of the Central Government to form a high-level committee which should be headed by Rajnath Singh Ji, and include Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal Ji, Delhi Police Commissioner, Lieutenant governor of Delhi Anil Baijal Ji and DCW team. Meeting should be conducted twice in a month to ensure the safety of women," Maliwal said.

"All these rape victims and survivors are Nirbhaya of Delhi. I think we need to come on roads again to protest and wake up the sleeping system," she added.

A few days ago, the 1.5-month-old girl Maliwal spoke about, was raped in South Delhi. A 33-year-old man was arrested for the crime.