Indian Rape Victim's Father Gives First Interview; Suspects to Face Death Penalty
The father of the young Indian woman who died as a result of a brutal attack and gang rape has spoken out for the first time since the ordeal. The interview comes as the six suspects are due in court and are expected to face the death penalty for their brutal crime.
"She was very adamant about whatever she wanted," the victim's father told the BBC. "She wanted to be a doctor and said it was only a matter of a few years and that when she was a doctor (all of our suffering) will end."
Unfortunately, the 23-year-old woman never had the opportunity to become a doctor. She was brutally gang raped and beaten with an iron rod while riding a public bus in New Delhi. After being thrown from the bus, she was taken to a hospital, but then transported to a more modern hospital in Singapore.
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After a few hours, she was pronounced dead due to the severity of her injuries. Her body was cremated on Sunday and her ashes were spread in the river Ganges, which is a Hindu custom.
Protests have sprung up across the country to call for justice for the young woman. The majority of people want to see the six men all sentenced to the death penalty for their crimes. The six will be formally charged on January 3, and are expected to be formally charged with kidnapping, gang rape, and murder. They have been in prison since the attack.
"Reports say some 30 witnesses have been gathered, and the charges have been detailed in a document running more than 1,000 pages," according to the Associated Press.
New information suggests that one of the accused is actually a minor; bone tests are being conducted to determine his true age, which will determine his fate in the judicial system. If he is found to be 17, he cannot be prosecuted for murder, but if he is 18, he will face the same charges as his accomplices.
