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India Gang Rape Suspect to Be Tried as Juvenile

A police van carrying five of the six men accused in the gang rape and murder of a 23-year-old woman enters a district court in New Delhi, India, January 24, 2013.

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VOA News

January 28, 2013

A special panel has ruled that an Indian teenager accused of taking part in last month's gang rape and murder of a young woman in New Delhi will be tried as a juvenile, meaning he will face a maximum term of three years in a reform facility if convicted.

A lawyer present in the court said India's Juvenile Justice Board announced the decision Monday after accepting the suspect's school documents indicating that he was under 18 years of age at the time of the December 16, 2012 attack.

Brutal Gang Rape Shocks India

2012
Dec. 16: Victim gang-raped, beaten on New Delhi bus

Dec. 20: Protests against incident spread

Dec. 26: Victim flown to Singapore

Dec. 29: Victim dies in Singapore

Jan. 02: Five of six suspect charged

Jan. 07: Suspects appear in New Delhi court

Jan. 17: Case sent to fast-track court

Jan. 23: Panel calls for new sexual assault laws

Jan. 24: Opening arguments made

Jan. 28: Panel: Sixth suspect to be tried as juvenile

2013
Feb. 2: The five accused plead not guilty in fast-track court
Mar. 11: Indian police say one suspect killed himself in jail

The teenager, who cannot be named for legal reasons, does not possess a birth certificate, which is a common occurrence in India where many babies are not born in a hospital.

Five other men accused of the premeditated rape and killing of the 23-year-old student could face the death penalty if found guilty. A fast-track court held a separate pre-trial hearing Monday to determine what charges the men will face when the case goes to trial.

Police allege the 17-year-old and five men raped and severely beat the victim on a bus in New Delhi before dumping her and a male friend in the road. They also penetrated her repeatedly with a metal bar, injuring her so badly that she died of massive organ failure in a Singapore hospital two weeks later.

The assault set off a wave of protests across India, opening a debate on the country's widespread violence against women.

Public outrage about government and police handling of the case is still evident.

A government-appointed panel issued a scathing report last week highlighting the system's failure to enforce laws that protect women from violence and harassment.

Acting upon thousands of suggestions from the public and rights activists, the commission called on police to register every rape case and said trials should be held in a speedy manner. The panel also suggested that stalking, voyeurism and other forms of sexual harassment be punishable by prison terms.

Many Indian women say they travel in groups, only leave home during the day, and carry sharp objects to stab men who grope them on public buses.

A government panel set up after the gang rape blamed police negligence for a climate of insecurity in New Delhi, which is known as India's "rape capital."

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by: rpsingh from: Delhi

January 30, 2013 1:29 AM

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Please don't play with some ones career, He will be Law minister one day .... Just see his route to reach there.. 1. He will be kept like a kid in the Home for three years and then released. He will allowed to study and watch TV shows , he will be shown CID / Crime Petrol. With fully trained in crime handling and wildness on top of his criminal head knowing fully how to escape law and during his home stay , he will have all friends with criminal mind. Our political parties will take him over and create, the strategy, to make him stand in Election and become MLA then MP and cabinet minister and then Law minister one day...., you may understand the reason why 17 years old is not taken as wild animal , do you still want to play with his career....think again

by: SINI RAO from: DARIEN, ILLINOIS USA

January 28, 2013 11:48 AM

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Agreed that he is what claimed to be. But his act is that of a juvinile. Is this boy wrongly convicted. If there is evidence of the Boy associated with Rape, why exclude him and let him go and commit RAPE. My father was a Police Officer under British and I know how police works in that Country. They are
not law enforcement agency and most of the police work as what in olden days as ORDERLIES mean servants like carrying grocery bags, cleaning the cars and that has not changed little except the Uniforms they wear.

They are not even legally trained and educated. In the recent past there were some graduates entering the force their numbers can be counted on fingers. We have to evaluate the case on the basis of LIFE lost not on the basis of we lost a life, we cannot bring it back, then PRESERVING the current convict and reform. This is just foolish thinking, as U r degrading the value of life lost and equalising that of the criminal who contributes nothing to well
being and safety of others. Punishment should merit the seriousness of the crime which here is DEATH of Young WOMEN with lots of hope for better future. That is snuffed away by this barbaric boy now U all call him.

He has passed that stage of reform and learning as he has already exposed to violence and rape which is glorified every where and if any one thinks that they can reform I believe they are not practical and out of mind. He will be more a hard core criminal if law let him go and he will celebrate at a later date by another RAPE and my question is what is your answer then????

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India Gang Rape Suspect to Be Tried as Juvenile

<h1>India Gang Rape Suspect to Be Tried as Juvenile</h1><img src="http://www.voanews.com/App_Themes/VOA_en-US/img/colorLogo.gif"/>A special panel has ruled that an Indian teenager accused of taking part in last month's gang rape and murder of a young woman in New Delhi will be tried as a juvenile, meaning he will face a maximum term of three years in a reform facility if convicted.<br /> <br /> A lawyer present in the court said India's Juvenile Justice Board announced the decision Monday after accepting the suspect's school documents indicating that he was under 18 years of age at the time of the December 16, 2012 attack.<br /> <br /> <div id='embeddedBG_1579053' class='embeddedBackgrounder floatLeft'><div class='embeddedBackgrounderInner'><strong>Brutal Gang Rape Shocks India</strong><br /> <br /> <div> <strong>2012</strong><br /> Dec. 16: Victim gang-raped, beaten on New Delhi bus</div> <div> Dec. 20: Protests against incident spread</div> <div> Dec. 26: Victim flown to Singapore</div> <div> Dec. 29: Victim dies in Singapore</div> <div> Jan. 02: Five of six suspect charged</div> <div> Jan. 07: Suspects appear in New Delhi court</div> <div> Jan. 17: Case sent to fast-track court</div> <div> Jan. 23: Panel calls for new sexual assault laws</div> <div> Jan. 24: Opening arguments made</div> <div> Jan. 28: Panel: Sixth suspect to be tried as juvenile<br /> <br /> <strong>2013</strong><br /> Feb. 2: The five accused plead not guilty in fast-track court<br /> Mar. 11: Indian police say one suspect killed himself in jail</div></div></div> The teenager, who cannot be named for legal reasons, does not possess a birth certificate, which is a common occurrence in India where many babies are not born in a hospital.<br /> <br /> Five other men accused of the premeditated rape and killing of the 23-year-old student could face the death penalty if found guilty. A fast-track court held a separate pre-trial hearing Monday to determine what charges the men will face when the case goes to trial.<br /> <br /> Police allege the 17-year-old and five men raped and severely beat the victim on a bus in New Delhi before dumping her and a male friend in the road. They also penetrated her repeatedly with a metal bar, injuring her so badly that she died of massive organ failure in a Singapore hospital two weeks later.<br /> <br /> The assault set off a wave of protests across India, opening a debate on the country's widespread violence against women.<br /> <br /> Public outrage about government and police handling of the case is still evident.<br /> <br /> A government-appointed panel issued a scathing report last week highlighting the system's failure to enforce laws that protect women from violence and harassment.<br /> <br /> Acting upon thousands of suggestions from the public and rights activists, the commission called on police to register every rape case and said trials should be held in a speedy manner. The panel also suggested that stalking, voyeurism and other forms of sexual harassment be punishable by prison terms.<br /> <br /> Many Indian women say they travel in groups, only leave home during the day, and carry sharp objects to stab men who grope them on public buses.<br /> <br /> A government panel set up after the gang rape blamed police negligence for a climate of insecurity in New Delhi, which is known as India's "rape capital."<link rel="canonical" href="http://www.voanews.com/content/indian-gang-rape-suspect-to-be-tried-as-juvenile/1592206.html"/><meta name="syndication-source" content="http://www.voanews.com/content/indian-gang-rape-suspect-to-be-tried-as-juvenile/1592206.html"/><img src="http://livetracker.voanews.eu/counter.lt?PageType=256&RecordId=1592206&SiteId=415&r=746640083&it=0&pd=20130128143926&url=ArticleID1592206" alt="" style="border:none;" height="1" width="1">

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