Youth convicted over rape and murder of woman in Delhi

An Indian juvenile court has convicted one person of rape and murder in the December gang rape of a young woman on a moving bus in New Delhi, according to a defence lawyer.

The conviction is the first handed down in the case.

Defence lawyer Rajesh Tewari said the juvenile faces a maximum sentence of three years at a reform centre. The defendant was 17 at the time of the attack and was tried as a minor.

People across India were shocked by the brutal gang rape in New Delhi of the 23-year-old student.

She died at a Singapore hospital on December 29th from internal injuries she sustained during the attack two weeks earlier.

Returning home from the cinema at about 10pm on December 16th, she and her male companion were lured on to an off-duty bus by men who promised to take them home.

Besides taking turns raping the woman, the six men also beat up her companion. Both were then hurled naked from the moving bus.

The attack caused outrage across India, with tens of thousands of protesters demanding tough new rape laws, better police protection and a campaign to change society’s views about women.

This prompted parliament to pass a law earlier this year toughening sentences for rapists.