Post date: Jan 03, 2013 1:6:24 PM
The six accused of the gang rape of a 23-year-old woman in New Delhi are charged formally in court.
NEW DELHI, INDIA (JANUARY 3, 2013) (ANI) - The six accused of raping a 23-year-old woman on a moving bus in New Delhiwere due to be formally charged by the court on Thursday (January 3).
The victim of the December 16, 2012 brutal assault succumbed to her injuries on December 29 in a Singapore hospital, provoking a nationwide outrage against the lack of security for women.Her alleged attackers have been detained in connection with the crime and police are likely to press murder charges. Prosecutors are expected to seek a death sentence for the five adults.
Sexual violence against women in largely patriarchal India is widespread, say gender rights activists, and crimes such as rape, dowry murders, acid attacks, honour killings, child marriages and human trafficking are common.
But the savagery of this crime - where the victim was raped for an hour and tortured with an iron rod which did serious damage to her internal organs - has stirred national debate and put gender issues on the political agenda.