Delhi gang rapists sentenced to death in case that sparked protests

USPA News - Four Indian men were sentenced to death Friday for brutally raping and murdering a young woman on a moving bus in the capital New Delhi last year, satisfying scores of protesters who previously took to the streets to demand justice and better protection for women. The four men broke down in tears after judge Yogesh Khanna sentenced them to die due to the barbaric nature of the crime.

"In these times when crime against women is on the rise, the courts cannot turn a blind eye towards such a barbaric and gruesome crime," he said. "There can be no tolerance (for such crimes)." The sentencing took place amid a massive security operation which saw more than 300 police officers at and near the court building where the four accused were convicted earlier this week. The family of the 23-year-old victim, along with many protesters, had said justice would only be done if the accused were sentenced to hang, although defense lawyers were hoping for leniency. But the judge determined a life sentence would not be sufficient due to the nature of the crime, during which the woman was raped and savaged with a metal pole before being dumped along a road. "This crime in every way falls within the rarest of rare categories, warranting a death sentence," Khanna said. The student was in an extremely critical condition after the December 16 attack and she was later transferred to Mount Elizabeth Hospital in Singapore. But her condition continued to deteriorate as she was suffering from severe organ failure due to the serious injuries to her body and brain, causing her to pass away on the morning of December 29. "She was courageous in fighting for her life for so long against the odds but the trauma to her body was too severe for her to overcome," Mount Elizabeth Hospital CEO Dr. Kelvin Loh said in December. Much of the evidence used to convict the suspects was based on a statement the victim gave to investigators despite her critical and deteriorating condition. A total of six men were involved in the brutal attack, including bus driver Ram Singh who was one of the main instigators of the crime but was later found hanging in his prison cell. Another accused was only 17 years old at the time of the attack and, due to his age, was sentenced to three years in a correctional facility.