Delhi gang rape: Is the sixth offender really juvenile?

‘But there were six men involved in the crime, right?’ This was what the Delhi gang rape victim’s brother said after learning only five people had been charge-sheeted for the ordeal they put his deceased sister through. When informed the sixth was a minor and would be tried by the Juvenile Justice court instead he was aghast. ‘The person who has been left out is reportedly just four months from being an adult. He is said to be involved in the crime throughout. He should be treated as a major and punished like other criminals,’ he added echoing the sentiments of the entire nation. Sadly, the law works differently.
The sixth and most brutal rapist’s school reports suggest he’s 17 years and six months old, meaning he’s a minor in the eyes of the law and can’t be meted out harsh punishments like life imprisonment or capital punishment. The worst ordeal he could face is three years in a juvenile home! And this is the person who raped her twice – once when she was unconscious, extracted her intestines with his bare hands and suggested they throw them off the bus naked. It seems outrageous that for such a heinous he could be let off so easily.
To get some clarity the Delhi Police have ordered an age determination test. However, there’s some confusion regarding which test has been ordered. While some media reports suggest the experts are going to carry out a bone ossification test others claim it will be a bone marrow test. Sadly despite the advancement of science, technology and diagnosis, predicting the exact age of a person remains a hard thing.

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