Delhi Police Chief Wants to Reduce Juvenile Crime Age to 16

Above that, treat them like adults

Delhi police commissioner Neeraj Kumar on Friday added his powerful voice to the demand for bringing down India's juvenile age limit, in the backdrop of the Nirbhaya gang-rape and murder case. The top cop said he had also conveyed his position to the government.

"Delhi Police agrees that the age limit for treating a person as juvenile should be lowered to 16 years," Kumar said during his annual press meet, adding that the view was reinforced by the increasing juvenile involvement in heinous crimes.

The commissioner also spoke about the public debate on sentencing ruthless juvenile criminals to death but did not state his position on the issue. "There is a lot of debate about it. The Justice Verma committee is looking into it. They will take a view," he said.