Delhi rape: 5 accused charged, face death penalty

A Delhi court on Saturday framed charged against five men accused of gang-raping and murdering a 23-year-old student in New Delhi in December 2012.

The accused have charged under 13 sections of the Indian Penal Code by the fast track court. Next day of hearing has been fixed as February 5.

The accused will now face trial for which maximum sentence is death.

The case brought thousands of protesters onto the streets and ignited intense public debate over the failure of the police and the government to stem rampant violence against women in India.

A strictly enforced media blackout on the court proceedings means there will likely be few details about the trial, leaving many with unanswered questions about an attack that was shocking in its brutality.

The student was tortured with an iron rod and raped on a moving bus in the capital on December 16. She was then thrown bleeding onto the street along with a male friend who was also beaten. She died of organ failure in a Singapore hospital two weeks later.

Prosecutors say they have a large file of evidence, including DNA from blood-stained clothing recovered by police.

The five, who police say range in age from 19 to 34, have been appearing in court almost daily for pre-trial hearings on the framing of the charges.

The prosecution wants the men tried for rape, kidnapping, murder and robbery, among other charges.

The trial will be conducted in a special fast-track court that was set up after the attack. The proceedings will take place behind closed doors to protect the identity of the victim.