MUMBAI, India
A Mumbai court on Thursday convicted four men for the gang-rape of a photojournalist at a deserted textile mill in the heart of India’s financial capital in the western state of Maharashtra.
A fifth member of the group is a minor and is therefore being tried separately in a juvenile court.
Vijay Jadhav, Kasim Shaikh, Salim Ansari and Siraj Khan were found guilty of raping the 22-year-old photojournalist in August 2013 on the premises of the defunct Shakti Mills in central Mumbai where she had gone with her male colleague for a magazine assignment.
Pretending to help the journalist they tied up her male colleague with belts and then dragged her to some dense shrubbery before sexually assaulting her. They were arrested within three days of the incident and charged with rape, unnatural sex, criminal conspiracy and common intention under India’s criminal justice system.
Special Public prosecutor Ujjawal Nikam and the defense lawyer sought an adjournment before sentencing which was granted by Judge Phansalkar.
Maharashtra state home minister RR Patil was present in court and later said that the verdict was delivered in a short span of time and that justice had been done. He added that the state government has taken several measures to ensure the safety of women in the state.
After the photojournalist’s case was filed, an 18-year-old telephone operator said three of the four accused had raped her a month earlier on July 31, 2013. The three common accused were convicted in this gang-rape as well.
Unlike New Delhi, Mumbai was considered a relatively safe city for women, but recent events have changed this perception.
By Mubasshir Mushtaq
englishnews@aa.com.tr
