Mumbai:
Two men who kidnapped, raped and then murdered a 22-year-old woman working for a call centre in Pune have been given the death sentence by the Bombay High Court.
In 2007, the victim took the cab sent to her by her company, Wipro, for a night shift at the BPO. However, the cab driver and another man with him drove her to a remote place and raped her. They then strangled her with her own dupatta (scarf) and disfigured her face with a sharp object in an attempt to make her unrecognisable.
The High Court judges said today, "The manner in which the offence was committed and the deep impact it has had on the society have been considered by us. Any woman will now think twice before taking a cab alone."
Purushottam Borate and Pradeep Kokade broke down in court after hearing their sentence. They were first convicted by a Pune court in March; the High Court agreed with their conviction and the death sentence.