Delhi gang-rape protests: Government may consider death penalty in rarest of rare rape cases

Students, activists and just concerned citizens gathered at India Gate to protest the torture and gang-rape of a young woman.

Zeenews Bureau

New Delhi: The rage spread, rapidly and steadily, through India`s national capital on Saturday as students, activists and just concerned citizens gathered at various places to protest the torture and gang-rape of a young woman. Some demanding capital punishment to the perpetrators of the heinous crime, some chanting slogans against government’s apathy, some protesting against Delhi police laxity, the angry protesters are demanding justice for the 23-year-old paramedical student, who was raped by a gang of six men in a moving bus in Delhi on Sunday night. Rarely, if ever, have so many people taken to the streets in so many different places for a single cause. It seems to be an unstoppable momentum.

Shinde also hinted that government may consider death penalty in rarest of rare rape cases.

Five policemen have been suspended for negligence of duty, Home Minister added. The Government is extremely concerned about the shocking occurrence of gang rape, which took place in Delhi on 16th December 2012, Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde said.

Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde address press conference on the gang-rape case.

Government to consider death penalty in rarest of rare rape cases, says sources.

Sonia Gandhi speaks to PM, seeks immediate action in gang rape case and appropriate measures to protect the victim, as per Congress sources.

After Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to give a detailed briefing on the gang-rape issue, he is expected to issue a statement.

PM and Home Minister discussed a series of steps that could be taken to create a sense of security in Delhi and calm down the outrage, sources informed.

Rapid Action Force pressed into service as protesters move toward Vijay Chowk.

Reports say Delhi Police lathi-charged the mob again, Raisina Hill completely vacated.

Sixth accused Akshay Thakur was caught in the Aurangabad district of Bihar, says Chhaya Sharma, Deputy Commissioner of Police (South).

Fifth accused is a minor and hails from Uttar Pradesh`s Badaun. Police caught him in Delhi`s Anand Vihar area, says Chhaya Sharma.

Delhi police address press conference on the arrest of fifth and sixth accused in the gang-rape case.

Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj tweets: "I am speaking to Prime Minister for a special session of Parliament to provide death sentence for such heinous crimes against women."

Delhi police urge protesters at Raisina Hill to maintain peace.

Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde will reportedly meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to discuss raging protests.

Protests turn violent again. Police begin firing tear gas shells at protesters.

Aam Aadmi Party`s national executive member Gopal Rai reaches Rajpath, joins protesters.

Bharatiya Janata Party spokesperson Tarun Vijay writes to the government, asking that his security detail be redeployed to keeping city safe.

BJP president Nitin Gadkari appeals to UPA leadership to take strict action against the criminals, and improve law and order situation in the country. “Instead of understanding the emotions of the people, police attacked them. It’s unfortunate,” he added.

Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde will reportedly issue an appeal to protesters in a short while.

Protests against Delhi gang-rape reported in Hyderabad, Bangalore, Moradabad, Kanpur and Lucknow.

The BJP accuses the government of taking Delhi gang-rape case casually.

Reports say two accused will be produced in court today.

Thirteen injured protesters have been taken to Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital and Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan Hospital.

Gang-rape victim is better than yesterday. She is psychologically composed and optimistic about future, say doctors at Safdarjung Hospital. However, the chances of infection remain.

Aam Aadmi Party leader Manish Sisodia reaches the protest venue at Vijay Chowk.

The rape victim has reportedly recorded her statement before the sub-divisional magistrate. Her statement is now admissible in court.

A protester delegation hands over a memorandum to President Pranab Mukherjee.

Urging the protesters to calm down, Minister of State for Home Affairs RPN Singh said the government is willing to talk. The minister told a news channel that police could not allow people to break barricades and enter government buildings.

Rapid Action Force deployed at protest site.

Heavy security deployed at Sonia Gandhi`s residence, 10 Janpath.

Protesters pelt stones at police.

Some protesters are badly hurt, say eyewitnesses.

Police lathi charge protesters, fire tear gas shells and water cannons at Raisina Hill. Despite this, the protests fail to die down.

Angry protesters reach Raisina Hill and try to break police barricades.

On Friday also, the protests literally reached President Pranab Mukherjee`s doorstep, with angry demonstrators going right up till the gates of Rashtrapati Bhavan and one even managing to enter the complex.

Former Army chief Gen VK Singh joins protest at India Gate, says the failure of the police in Delhi needs to be addressed. He also said that the protest needs to have an outcome.

Huge crowds gather at India Gate to demand justice for the gang-rape victim.

The parliamentary standing committee on home affairs, on its part, summoned Union Home Secretary RK Singh and Delhi Police Commissioner Neeraj Kumar on December 27 to discuss atrocities against women and the law and order situation in the national capital.

The Delhi High Court said it is not "convinced" with the status report filed by the Delhi Police which did not mention the details of police officials patrolling the area where the woman was gang-raped and tortured in a moving bus.

Faced with the growing outrage, with protests not just in New Delhi but also elsewhere in the country, the Delhi Police arrested two more accused, including one who has claimed that he is a juvenile. The sixth man identified as Akshay Thakur has been arrested from Aurangabad in Bihar.

Demanding justice and fast track courts, many people have rallied in protest in the capital in the days since the incident on Sunday night, when the physiotherapist intern was brutally assaulted and her male friend beaten in a moving bus. Both were stripped and dumped by the roadside near the domestic airport after the nearly 40-minute ordeal.

As people hit the streets of Delhi to vent their grief and anger, the Sir Ganga Ram Hospital in central Delhi offered the victim free intestinal transplant.

Doctors treating the woman said their focus was on providing her the best treatment as her life was at grave risk. She underwent surgery to remove a gangrenous section of intestine, and there was risk of infection.