Indian police have charged six men with murder, hours after a woman who was gang raped on a bus in New Delhi died in hospital.
The men could face the death penalty if convicted, in a case that has triggered protests across India.
The 23-year-old victim was savagely beaten and raped for almost an hour before being thrown out of the moving vehicle.
She was flown to Mount Elizabeth Hospital in Singapore for specialist treatment, but later died from severe organ failure.
“The general thinking behind it as far as the prosecution service is concerned is that the way she was treated on that bus, the manner in which she was subjected to such a brutal attack, the fact that she was thrown from the bus whilst it was still moving and was unconscious suggests that they’re fairly confident now that there was pre-meditation in the attack.”
Her uncle has called for those responsible to be given the “strictest possible sentence”.
“This is a very sad day, and a very very sad happening,” he said. “My condolences are with my niece’s family.
More than 1,000 protesters have gathered in New Delhi city centre for a sit-in, demanding political change to protect women from violence.
The area is home to the president’s palace, the prime minister’s office and key defence, foreign affairs and home ministries.
Authorities fear a repeat of demonstrations a week ago, where police fired tear gas and water cannon at activists after violence broke out.
protesters were likely to remain peaceful to “avoid giving the politicians a tool” to criticise them.
“I think there’s a conscious decision on the part of the protesters in the land of Gandhi to protest in a non-violent way,” he added.
“These sit-ins are going to continue for a long time. This crime has shocked the country, rape is something this country has been dancing around for the last 30 or 40 years.”
A chartered aircraft has flown the victim’s body back to India, along with members of her family.
Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said he was deeply saddened by the woman’s death and described the reaction to the case as “perfectly understandable from a young India and an India that genuinely desires change”.
“It would be a true homage to her memory if we are able to channel these emotions and energies into a constructive course of action,” he added.
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