Juvenile convict's village divided over his coming back

Even as the juvenile convict in December 16 gangrape case is set to walk free tomorrow after serving three years in a correction home, some residents of his native village here are not happy with the prospect of his return.
The youth, now 20-years-old, was convicted of brutally assaulting and raping a 23-year-old medical student in a moving bus in Delhi on December 16, 2012, along with five others.
The girl succumbed to her injuries in a Singapore hospital on December 29, 2012.
Residents of the convict's native village in Badaun district maintained that the youth, who did such a heinous crime, had no place in the village.

A senior resident Phoolchandra said that the incident has brought much infamy to the village and the country in the eyes of the world.
He claimed that after the infamous episode, the village youth studying outside were also looked at contemptuously and are usually denied employment.

As a result of which, employment is increasing in the village, he said.
In a stark contrast, the poverty-struck family members of the youth are eagerly waiting for his return.
The family members said that the youth should be given a chance to repent and start a new life after returning to the village.

The convict's mother said that though no family member would go to Delhi to receive him, it was her wish that he returned to the village and helped the family living in abject poverty.
She said that her husband was mentally challenged and her two daughters worked as labourers to support the family, therefore she needed her son to come back.
Haji Tauseef Raza and few other village residents also seconded her opinion.
They said that the youth, having served his sentence, had learnt a big lesson and should be allowed to start afresh.
Raza said people of the village would fully support him.

The Delhi High Court had yesterday refused to stay the release of the convict, stating he could not be stopped from walking free under the existing provisions of law.
Meanwhile, the youth's release was widely criticised by the parents of the victim and various other bodies, saying he must be kept in observation home until his reformation was ascertained.