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Candlelight Vigil Held for India Gang Rape Victim

Demonstrators shout slogans near the presidential palace during a protest in New Delhi, Dec. 22, 2012.

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VOA News

December 22, 2012

Protesters in India's capital have held a candlelight vigil Saturday for a 23-year-old female student who was gang raped.

Earlier in the day, thousands marched in New Delhi shouting "we want justice" as police struggled to control the crowd, using tear gas and water cannon. Demonstrators demanded the death penalty for the six men arrested by the police.

Police fire water canons on demonstrators near the presidential palace in New Delhi on Dec. 22, 2012.

The woman was attacked last Sunday after she and a male friend were given a ride on a chartered bus in New Delhi.

Officials say a group of men raped her and beat both of the victims with an iron rod, later stripping them and dumping them on the road. The woman remains hospitalized with severe injuries.

Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde said the government would examine this demand expeditiously and announced an official inquiry into last Sunday's rape attack and to suggest measures to improve safety and security of women.

More than 600 cases of rape have been reported in New Delhi so far this year, one of the highest rates in the country.

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Candlelight Vigil Held for India Gang Rape Victim

<h1>Candlelight Vigil Held for India Gang Rape Victim</h1><img src="http://www.voanews.com/App_Themes/VOA_en-US/img/colorLogo.gif"/>Protesters in India's capital have held a candlelight vigil Saturday for a 23-year-old female student who was gang raped.<br />  <br /> Earlier in the day, thousands marched in New Delhi shouting "we want justice" as police struggled to control the crowd, using tear gas and water cannon.  Demonstrators demanded the death penalty for the six men arrested by the police.<br /> <br /> <div class="tag_image tag_image1 floatLeft" contenteditable="false" mode="img|expand|9C7CA086-ED65-4407-9EFA-D4D1FDBFB764.jpg|1|floatLeft||0#0#0|1"> <img src="http://gdb.voanews.eu/9C7CA086-ED65-4407-9EFA-D4D1FDBFB764_cw0_cy0_cx0_r1_w268.jpg" />Police fire water canons on demonstrators near the presidential palace in New Delhi on Dec. 22, 2012.</div> <br /> The woman was attacked last Sunday after she and a male friend were given a ride on a chartered bus in New Delhi.<br /> <br /> Officials say a group of men raped her and beat both of the victims with an iron rod, later stripping them and dumping them on the road.  The woman remains hospitalized with severe injuries.<br /> <br /> Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde said the government would examine this demand expeditiously and announced an official inquiry into last Sunday's rape attack and to suggest measures to improve safety and security of women.<br /> <br /> More than 600 cases of rape have been reported in New Delhi so far this year, one of the highest rates in the country.<link rel="canonical" href="http://www.voanews.com/content/candlelight-vigil-held-for-india-gang-rape-victim/1570660.html"/><meta name="syndication-source" content="http://www.voanews.com/content/candlelight-vigil-held-for-india-gang-rape-victim/1570660.html"/><img src="http://livetracker.voanews.eu/counter.lt?PageType=256&RecordId=1570660&SiteId=415&r=1614539026&it=0&pd=20121223012336&url=ArticleID1570660" alt="" style="border:none;" height="1" width="1">

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