The tragic death of Jyoti Singh Pandey

Jyoti Singh Pandey
Jyoti Singh Pandey was a 23-year old woman from New Delhi, India with a big heart and even bigger dreams. However, on a cold, dark December night in 2012 that all came to an end, as Pandey became a victim of one of the most gruesome crimes the country of India has ever seen--gang rape. 

Around 9:30 pm on December the 16th of 2012 Jyoti Singh Pandey and her friend Awindra Pratap Pandey, coincidentally with the same name, were walking home after watching the movie Life of Pi in the Saket area of New Delhi, India. Without hesitation, they decided to board a bus. There were a total of seven men on the bus, including the driver and now, including Awindra Pandey. 

Shortly after they boarded the bus, Awindra grew incredibly suspicious because the bus started going into an opposite direction they were originally going and the doors closed immediately after. When Awindra confronted the men with his suspicions they began to taunt him and Jyoti with jokes. As the banter continued, the men began to beat Awindra with a rusty iron rod. He was beaten so badly he was knocked completely unconscious. 

Jyoti began to panic and didn't know what to do. She tried to revive Awindra the best way she could. In efforts to escape, Jyoti was dragged by her hair against her will to the rear end area of the bus. When she attempted to fight back, they proceeded to beat her with that same iron rod (which was a rusted wheel jack handle) shortly before raping her. Despite the resistance and her cries for help, the bus driver continued to drive. Do you remember the iron rod used to beat Awindra and then Jyoti for defending him? The perpetrators began to take their perversion to the next level by inserting the same rod into her vagina. During this time Awindra regained consciousness. He realized what they were doing so he tried to fight them. The degenerates started to beat Awindra until he was completely knocked out again.

Jyoti Pandey was beaten so badly she was unrecognizable, she was raped to the level that her intestines were hanging out of her body, and tortured so horribly she was put into a coma just days after the assault. As she continued to bleed, these savages continued to brag about what they did to her before throwing her and her friend Awindra off the bus as it was moving. As both Jyoti and Awindra continued to fight for their lives, Jyoti was able to tell the cops some of things that happened to her including the story verbatim. 

"The conductor of the bus closed the doors of the bus. He shut off the lights of the bus and came towards my friend and started to abuse and beat him. They held his hands and held me. Then, they took me to the back of the bus," Jyoti shared with authorities shortly after she was brutally assaulted. 

"They tore my clothes and raped me," she told authorities. "They hit me with an iron rod and bit me on my entire body with their teeth. They took all of my belongings. They took my mobile phone, purse, credit card, debit card, watches, etc. Six people raped me in turns for nearly one hour in a moving bus." Jyoti continued, "the driver of the bus kept changing so that he could also rape me." Nirbhaya then said, "I heard these people saying 'catch them, tear their clothes, hit them, take their bag' and using abusive language. Ram Singh, Thakkur, Raju, Mukesh, Pawan, Vinay were their names." 

Jyoti also shared with authorities, "Half the time I was unconscious, but whenever I came to consciousness they beat me up. My friend tried to save me but these people beat him with an iron rod. They removed all the clothes of my friend and they thought we had both died. They threw us out of the moving bus. We were both naked on the side of the road and many who passed by saw us and informed the police."

She also made her family promise her to never stop fighting for her, whether or not she lived through it. She went so far to even write on piece of paper "I want to survive" shortly before handing the paper to her doctors. However, after days of fighting, Pandey underwent a series of surgeries to correct both her internal and external injuries, which included removal of her remaining intestine. She suffered a series of complications from these surgeries including pneumonia and stomach infections shortly before she was declared brain dead. Relying heavily on the power of prayer, her injuries were too severe. And sadly, Jyoti Singh Pandey tragically lost her life on Saturday, December the 29th of 2012. 

And 24-hours after the crime was reported, the police were able to trace the suspects. They included Ram Singh and his brother Mukesh Singh (who was the bus driver) from South Delhi, Vinay Sharma and Pawan Gupta from Uttar Pradesh, and Ashkay Thakur from New Delhi. Raju Singh or Raju Sangwan, who was a minor at the time of the crime was never fully charged for his part, as he was only 17-years old when the 2012 Delhi Rape occurred. 

In March of 2014, almost two years after the death of Jyoti Pandey—Ram Singh, Ashkay Thakur, and Vinay Sharma were charged and sentenced to death. Mukesh Singh and Pawan Gupta decided to try to appeal the decision. Ram Singh, who was described as the worst of the group was found dead of an apparent suicide by hanging; however, theorists believe he was murdered. Furthermore, both Singh and Gupta lost their appeals.

Raj, the youngest of the perpetrators, who was just 17-years old at the time is now a free man according to sources. He did little-to-no time at all yet was part of the crime with five other men. Although there is speculation Raj is a free man, his future is not bright and the public will never forgive nor forget what he did to Jyoti on that cold dark December night in 2012.

The question remains: has justice been rightfully served here? And if so, how is this justifed? According to Jyoti Singh Pandey's parents Asha Devi and Badrinath Singh, it has not. "We are still waiting for justice to be served," the couple shared in regards to their daughter's rape and murder. Jyoti's Singh's last words were her pleading and begging her parents to get justice for what happened which is exactly what they will continue to do for the rest of their lives. We can only hope justice is served indefinitely. Jai Mata Di! 

Comments

Anonymous said…
Sarah, this story is sickening and sad. There is no justice on this earth for such a heinous, evil act. The Universe/Godhead will exact a fitting retribution in due time. My heart goes out to the parents. They too were tortured and remain so by the haunting memory of their innocent daughter. There is EVIL in this world and this crime/these people are perfect examples.
Megan Kerry said…
What a horrible crime. I'm so sorry for the victims.
NINA said…
This is absolutely horrible and such a tragic event. I can't even imagine the pain she went though and the pain her family is still enduring. My heart goes out to them!
Laura said…
Some people are just evil. This is horrible what happen to her and shouldn't happen to anyone.
Oh my goodness. This is just horrific - there are no words.
I remember the anger I felt when I first heard Jyoti's story. As difficult as it is to read, I think it is so important to continue to share her story, so that people continue to fight for justice.
hyyperlic said…
I've heard it on the news back then.. such a gruelsome crime. However its important to honor such victims, so it doesnt happen again!
Marysa said…
What a horrible crime. I hadn't heard about this, it's just awful.
Adriana Lately said…
oh no! that is so terrible!!
Samar said…
That is a horrible crime, God knows when will the world become a safe place for all.
Delhifundos said…
Justice delayed is justice denied, they say. The fate of the culprits is still hanging in thin air. All said and done, not much has changed after the incident. The newspapers are full of rape and molestation news.
I hope you know that the convicts, four of them, are scheduled to be hanged until death on 22nd January 2020 :)
This crime happened when I was in Delhi. I can not forget the fear, the sadness and the anger this incident had instigated in all the women in India.
Geraline Batarra said…
This is so sad, I don't know what to comment, I don't know if everybody would agree but I don't think that the Raj boy, should be a free man. He already got a criminal mind even at that age, he done it once,it's possible to happen again.
Anonymous said…
What a heartbreaking story. Anyways, lovely of you to be sharing it to the world, I really had no idea...
Mark said…
I still weep each time I remember this story. So tragic.
Lifeofkaren said…
This is so heartbreaking how can people be tht cruel.
Nicole said…
This story was horrific and heart breaking. I hope that her family finds the peace and comfort that they need, and that the awful men that did this gets rightfully punished!
Unknown said…
aurat ne janam Diya mardon ko, mardon ne use bazar Diya, jab jee chaha machala kuchala, jab jee chaha dhutkar Diya. India's bravest girl, you will always be remembered. Anil Banerjee, Omaha Nebraska (USA)
Anonymous said…
This is one of the most tragic deaths I’ve ever heard of. My heart breaks for her family.
Anonymous said…
Rest In Peace Jyoti Pandey Singh. Gone but never forgotten. Jai mata di!
Anonymous said…
Jai Mata Di! Rest in piece Jyoti Pandey Singh!
Anonymous said…
Jai mata di Nirbhaya!
Anonymous said…
This brought me to tears.
Anonymous said…
This is one of the most tragic, devastating cases ever. Absolutely awful. Poor Jyoti was a victim of these savages. They are truly monsters. My heart breaks for her family. I can’t even imagine what they are going through.
Anonymous said…
This is so sad.
Anonymous said…
I noticed the lastname “Sangwan”. I know a guy with that lastname. He’s real lazy and racist, not to mention stinks. He hates Americans and is mentally abusive towards women. He made his last girlfriend leave him because he mentally abused her, wouldn’t get a job and work, and slept with his own mother. He is from the jaat caste. I think these rodents got their karma for what they did to her. She deserved a lot better.
Anonymous said…
This is so sad and awful. RIP Jyoti!
Rajesh said…
Rest In Peace! This is one of the most tragic deaths and most gruesome crimes I’ve ever heard. My heart is with her family.