Punish ‘rape’ fashion shoot photographer, say Delhi victim’s family

An Indian fashion photo series depicting a woman being assaulted on a bus has stirred memories of the fatal gang rape in 2012, outraging the victim's parents and activists who want action against the photographer.

The December 2012 attack created upheaval in India, triggering days of protests over violence against women and raising questions about women in the world's largest democracy.

The pictures for the fashion spread were taken by Mumbai photographer Raj Shetye and posted this week on the photography site Behance.

The pictures, called "The Wrong Turn", showed a young woman in different outfits, fending off a group of young men on a bus. They have been removed.

The mother of the woman killed in 2012 said the photographer was mocking her daughter and trying to hurt the parents.

"It has once again brought us face-to-face with the incident and he has done it for his own publicity and to make money," the mother said.

The victim's father said he would appeal to the courts to take action against Shetye.

"They should be ashamed of it. What is he trying to show to the juveniles and youths of the nation? He should be punished. I will appeal the Supreme Court to punish him and the photo shoot should be banned," he said.

Shetye was quoted on the Buzzfeed news site as saying he was trying to depict the plight of women and denied attempting to depict the scene of the rape.

"But being a part of society and being a photographer, that topic moves me from inside," he was quoted as saying. "I stay in a society where my mother, my girlfriend, my sister are out there and something like this can happen to them also.

"Being a photographer, the only medium I can communicate in is photos. For me, its as simple as that. It's art."