The prosecution in the case of four men who were convicted of the fatal gang rape of a student in New Delhi today called for the death penalty.
Public prosecutor Dayan Krishnan told a sentencing hearing that the attack on the 23-year-old woman was “diabolical” and the crime had shocked the “collective conscience”.
The woman, who cannot be named under Indian law, was attacked with a male companion on a moving bus last December. She was repeatedly raped, including with an iron bar, and died of horrific internal injuries two weeks later.
Mukesh Singh, Vinay Sharma, Akshay Thakur and Pawan Gupta were yesterday found guilty of charges including rape and murder.
One of the men, who all denied the charges, shouted “I am innocent!” as they were brought to the court in New Delhi.
Lawyers for three of the men have said they will appeal against the convictions.
Mr Krishnan called for the death penalty, saying “there can be nothing more diabolic than a helpless girl put through torture.”
Judge Yogesh Khanna convicted the four men saying they were “guilty of gang rape, unnatural offences, destruction of evidence... and for committing the murder of the helpless victim”.
But arguing against the death penalty on Wednesday, defence lawyers suggested that media coverage had a bearing on the trial.
The case sparked a national debate on the treatment of women, with widespread protests throughout the country. It prompted new laws to be rushed through allowing the death penalty to be handed down in the most serious cases of rape.
On 31 August a teenager who was found guilty of taking part in the rape in Delhi was sentenced to three years in a reform facility. He also denied all the charges.
Another suspect, Ram Singh, was found dead in his cell in March. Prison officials said they believed he hanged himself but his family allege he was murdered.
