Four Nirbhaya convicts will now be hanged on March 3; fresh warrant issued

A Delhi court Monday issued fresh date for execution of death warrants for March 3 at 6 am for the four death row convicts in the Nirbhaya gang rape and murder case.

Additional Session Judge Dharmender Rana issued fresh warrants against death row convicts -- Mukesh Kumar Singh (32), Pawan Gupta (25), Vinay Kumar Sharma (26) and Akshay Kumar (31).

The court was hearing the applications by Nirbhaya's parents and the Delhi government, seeking fresh death warrants for the convicts after the Supreme Court granted liberty to the authorities to approach the trial court for issuance of fresh date for the execution of these convicts.

The date of execution, first fixed for January 22, was postponed for 6 am on February 1 by a January 17 court order. The trial court later, on January 31, stayed, "till further orders" the execution of the four convicts in the case, who are lodged in Tihar Jail.