A judge sentenced four men to death on Friday for the fatal gang rape of an Indian student on a bus last December, triggering applause inside the packed courtroom.
Judge Yogesh Khanna told a court in the Indian capital that the case, which sparked widespread anger against the treatment of women in the country, fell into the “rarest of rare category”, which justified capital punishment.
“In these times when crimes against women are on the rise, court cannot turn a blind eye to this gruesome act,” he said.
As the courtroom burst into applause, the father of the 23-year-old victim told reporters that he was delighted with the sentence.
“We are very happy,” said the father, who cannot be named to protect the identity of his late daughter.
“Justice has been delivered,” he told reporters inside the court, flanked by his wife and sons.
