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Delhi gang rape trial begins in fast-track court India gang rape trial begins in fast-track Delhi court
(35 minutes later)
The trial of five Indian men over the gang rape and murder of a woman last month has begun in Delhi. The trial of five men over the gang rape and murder of a 23-year-old woman has begun at a specially convened fast-track court in India's capital, Delhi.
If convicted by the specially convened fast-track court, the men could face the death penalty. A sixth suspect is set to be tried in a juvenile court. If convicted, the men could face the death penalty. A sixth suspect, who is thought to be 17, is expected to be tried by a juvenile court.
The case has shocked India and sparked a debate about the treatment of women.The case has shocked India and sparked a debate about the treatment of women.
The start of proceedings on Monday was delayed by discussions between judges and lawyers. One defendant is seeking to have the trial moved out of Delhi. On Sunday, the victim's mother condemned public figures who implied her daughter had brought it on herself.
VK Anand, the lawyer representing Ram Singh, said the intense media attention in the capital could lead to an unfair trial. In an interview with the BBC, she said those who criticised Indian women for adopting Western dress and lifestyles were "sexist and irresponsible" and were in effect condoning rape.
The physiotherapy student, who cannot be named for legal reasons, and a male friend were attacked on a bus in south Delhi on 16 December.
Police said the assailants beat both of them, and then raped the woman. She suffered massive internal injuries and died nearly two weeks later.
'Forensic evidence'
The start of the trial was delayed for more than an hour on Monday as defence lawyers argued that it should be open to the media. The judge rejected their request and said it should be held behind closed doors.
After receiving the charge sheet, the judge adjourned the trial until 24 January, when opening arguments will be heard.
The defendants have been named as Ram Singh and his brother Mukesh, Pawan Gupta, Vinay Sharma and Akshay Thakur. The sixth suspect claims to be a juvenile and his case is being handled separately.
Lawyers for two of the suspects have said they will plead not guilty. It is unclear how the other three accused will plead.
Prosecutors say they have extensive forensic evidence linking all six men to the crime. It is supported by the suspects' mobile-phone records and the testimony of the dying woman and her friend, they add.
However, defence lawyers told the Reuters news agency that they were preparing to argue that the forensic evidence had been fabricated.
They also said the trial was unsafe because police had rushed the investigation into the crime as a result of the public outrage.
Two of the four defence lawyers had said their clients were beaten in custody and forced to make confessions which were suspiciously similar. Officials have declined to comment, citing legal restrictions.
The defence is also expected to argue that the men were denied legal aid for several weeks. The lawyer for Ram Singh, VK Anand, said he would ask to move the trial out of the capital because of the media attention.
"We are sure we will not get justice in Delhi," he added."We are sure we will not get justice in Delhi," he added.
The other men accused have been named as Mr Singh's brother Mukesh, Pawan Gupta, Vinay Sharma and Akshay Thakur. The sixth suspect is thought to be 17. 'Quick justice'
Separately, the mother of the victim has condemned comments suggesting that her daughter was responsible for her fate. The brutal assault on the 23-year-old student has led to nationwide protests against the treatment of women in India.
She told the BBC that those politicians who had expressed such views were "sexist and irresponsible" and effectively endorsed such crimes. Campaigners have called for tougher rape laws and reforms to the police have been accused of too often failing to file charges against attackers.
'Extensive evidence'
The brutal assault on the 23-year-old woman has led to nationwide protests against the treatment of women in India.
The government has promised to fast-track future rape cases. Legal proceedings in India sometimes involve years of delays.The government has promised to fast-track future rape cases. Legal proceedings in India sometimes involve years of delays.
Six fast-track courts will be set up in Delhi to allow crimes against women to be dealt with swiftly. Six fast-track courts will be set up in Delhi to allow crimes against women to be dealt with swiftly. There are believed to be about 95,000 rape cases pending nationwide, according to Ranjana Kumari, a women's activist and director of the Centre for Social Research.
Last week, another lawyer claimed that the men had been tortured and coerced into confessing they were guilty. Officials refused to comment on the allegations, citing legal restrictions. "'We need a system in which women can get justice quickly. Otherwise, in the normal course of things, it can take 10 or 12 or 14 years for cases to be taken up by the court. That is tantamount to denying justice to the victim," she told the Associated Press.
Lawyers for two of the suspects have said they will plead not guilty. It is unclear how the other three accused will plead. Prosecutors have said they have extensive forensic evidence. The government has also said that it will bring in stronger sexual assault laws and has established several committees to recommend changes.
The victim, a physiotherapy student who cannot be named in India for legal reasons, and a male friend were attacked on a bus in south Delhi on 16 December. She died two weeks later in hospital in Singapore.
Campaigners are calling for tougher rape laws and reforms to the police, who, critics say, often fail to file charges against accused attackers.
The government has said that it will bring in stronger sexual assault laws and has established several committees to recommend changes in the law.