NEW DELHI // Five men accused of gang-raping and murdering a 23-year-old student in New Delhi in December will be formally charged in court on Saturday, setting the stage for the start of their trial, a defence lawyer said.
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.
Manmohan Singh, the prime minister, said yesterday that his government would act promptly to implement the recommendations of a commission on improving laws dealing with crimes against women.
A week after the government-appointed panel submitted its report, Singh wrote to retired Chief Justice JS Verma, head of the commission, to thank him for its rapid work.
A strictly enforced media blackout on the court proceedings in Delhi means there will likely be few details about the trial, leaving many with unanswered questions about an attack that was shocking in its brutality.
Prosecutors say they have a large file of evidence, including DNA from blood-stained clothing.
* With additional reporting by Associated Press
