Thousands of people staged protests at the Jantar Mantar in the National Capital on Sunday after the 23-year-old gang-rape victim was cremated early in the morning. Braving police restrictions, protesters thronged Jantar Mantar demanding speedy justice for the young physiotherapy student.

The protestors in Delhi were joined by an enraged public in major cities across the country, who organised candle-light vigils and demanded immediate action from the Government to punish the perpetrators of this heinous crime. They also sought strengthening of laws that deal with violence against women. The enraged public also demanded greater assurance from the Government on security and safety for women.

The death of the young woman early Saturday morning in a Singapore hospital has led to a massive outpouring of grief and anger across the country. She was gang-raped and brutally assaulted by six men on a moving private bus on the night of December 16, and died of multiple organ failure. A special plane brought her body to Delhi early Sunday.

Agency reports said Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress chief Sonia Gandhi were present at the airport when the body arrived. Reports also said the Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit and Union Minister of State for Home Affairs R.P.N.Singh were present at the crematorium on Sunday morning. The Delhi Police had imposed restrictive orders around India Gate and Raisina Hill. Though ten Metro stations closer to India Gate were closed down on Sunday as a precautionary measure, five of them were re-opened later in the afternoon.

Expressing “deep sorrow” at the death of the Delhi gang-rape victim, the United Nations chief Ban ki-Moon asked the Indian government to implement reforms to deter such crimes and bring the perpetrators to justice. The UN chief also urged the Indian government to strengthen critical services for rape victims and said UN Women and other agencies of the United Nations stand ready to support such reform efforts with technical expertise and other support as required. “Violence against women must never be accepted, never excused, never tolerated. Every girl and woman has the right to be respected, valued and protected,” the UN chief said.

Meanwhile, reports said the Congress, in its draft Bill for a tougher law to check crimes against women, has proposed imprisonment up to 30 years for rape convicts and could also include chemical castration in rare cases.

Some of the provisions of this law include setting up of fast-track courts to decide cases within three months, it said.

The Bharatiya Janata Party on Sunday reiterated its demand to convene a Special Session of Parliament and for amending laws so that the harshest punishment is given to those accused of the heinous crime.

(With Agency inputs)

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