'Numb, shocked and shaken': Bilkis Bano, her husband upon rape convicts' release

As videos of her rapists being welcomed after their release and being offered sweets went viral online, Bilkis Bano broke into tears and expressed distress.

Speaking to The Indian Express, Bano's husband Yakub Rasool said that they were left numb, shocked and shaken upon hearing the news.

The battle which they fought for so many years has been wrapped up in one moment, he said adding that they had never even heard of the word ‘remission’.

When contacted by the newspaper, Bilkis responded with a request to be left alone as she was unable to talk to anyone.

The couple is also fearful for the safety of their family.

Also watch: Sweets, tilak for convicts in Bilkis Bano rape case as they walk out of jail

In the violence following the 2002 Godhra incident, a pregnant Bilkis Bano and 4 other women members of her family had been gangraped.

The special CBI court on January 21, 2008, sentenced the eleven accused to life imprisonment on the charge of gangrape and murder of 14 members of her family.