Nirbhaya Rape Convict: With Delhi Pollution, no need of death penalty

New Delhi: One of the four men convicted in the 2012 Nirbhaya rape and murder case has asked the Supreme Court to spare him the death penalty citing that life span in Delhi is anyway getting reduced due to air and water pollution.

The convict Akshay Singh Thakur requested the Supreme Court to review his conviction in connecting to the Nirbhaya rape and murder case of 2012 that shook the nation.

Akshay Singh Thakur's petition brings up points of law, argues that he was incorrectly convicted and talks about capital punishment being abolished in various countries.

In one part of the petition, it states, "... it is important to pertain here that Air Quality of Delhi NCR and the metro city is burst and as a gas chamber... the water of Delhi NCR and the metro city is also full of poison... Everyone is aware of what is happening in Delhi NCR in regard to water and air," the petition says before asking a simple question.

"Life is short too short, then why the death penalty? [sic]" the statement says.

It even mentions that ancient Indian texts such as the Vedas, Puranas and Upanishads to say that during 'Satyug' (the first of the four ages mentioned in Hindu mythology), people used to live for "thousand years".

The petition, as it questions the practice of awarding death penalty, then says that we are now in Kalyug (the last age in Hindu mythology) where the average lifespan has reduced to 50-60 years.

Akshay Singh Thakur was convicted in the Nirbhaya rape and murder case along with Mukesh Singh, Pawan Gupta and Vinay Sharma. All four were awarded the death penalty and the punishment was upheld by the Supreme Court. The pleas of other convicts in the case were rejected by the Supreme Court.