Kolkata:
A Kolkata court today sentenced three convicts to death and three others to life imprisonment for the gang-rape and murder of a 21-year-old woman in West Bengal's Kamduni.
The three convicts - Ansar Ali, Saiful Ali and Amin Ali - were sentenced to death for gang-rape and murder while the other three - Emanul Islam, Bhola Naskar and Aminur Islam - were handed life terms for gang-rape.
On Thursday,
the six people were convicted for the crime. Two others accused in the case were acquitted.
The woman's youngest brother who was whisked away from the court due to security reasons shouted, "I am happy...but will go to a higher court and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee over the acquittal of two accused."
"We argued that this was the rarest of rare cases. One of those convicted had, in court, described in graphic detail how they had tortured the girl. They deserved capital punishment," said Public Prosecutor Anindya Raut.
Defence Lawyer Phiroze Edulji said they would go to High Court within the next week.
On 7 June 2013, a college student was abducted on her way home from a class, taken to an isolated high-walled factory compound and gang-raped in a village in Kamduni, about 30 km from Kolkata. She was then killed and her brutally mutilated body was found that night by her brother in a canal.
The case triggered public anger and demonstrations demanding better safety for women, after which Ms Banerjee visited the home of the dead student. She controversially accused demonstrators during the visit of having links with the communists and Maoists, provoking a backlash and a fresh wave of protests.
Ahead of the verdict, protesters clashed with the police outside a court in Kolkata. The protesters are members of the student wing of a Left party.