Protest marches in Karnataka, anguish over medical student's death

Bangalore: Emotions ran high in parts of Karnataka following the death of the medical student, who was brutally assaulted and gangraped in Delhi on December 16, with people, particularly women, demanding stringent punishment including death penalty, for the perpetrators of the crime.

As the news of the tragic end of the 23-year-old paramedical student, who was undergoing treatment in a hospital in Singapore, spread, girls of various colleges took out a protest march and mourned the death.

In Bangalore, students of women colleges were in tears while expressing their ire over the rape. BJP's women wing also staged protests demanding immediate punishment to the rapists.

BJP spokesperson Nirmala Sitaraman urged the Centre to enact strict laws to ensure safety of women and also the laws should act as deterrent to rapists.

Some mourners, who participated in a candle light march in Mandya, Haveri, Mysore, Bellary and other places, said the culprits should be punished in public, while others advocated capital punishment.

Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar, who is touring in Bagalkot, expressed grief over the girl's death. Karnataka Janata Party President B S Yeddyurappa also mourned the death of the girl and said a situation, in which women can move around fearlessly, should be created in the country.

Steps should be taken to ensure that the Delhi incident did not recur, he said.

Karnataka Home Minister R Ashok said in Hospet that the state government was contemplating slapping provisions of the stringent Anti-Goonda act against rapists.

Gang-rape incidents have been reported in Bangalore City few months ago and in Hassan recently. In both the incidents, the culprits have been arrested.