Gang rape suspect found dead

The driver of the bus in which a young woman was gang-raped and beaten before dying three months ago has reportedly hung himself in jail.

Ram Singh was the main suspect out of five, plus a juvenile, to stand trial for the fatal attack on the 23-year-old woman.

A defense lawyer and Singh's family alleged foul play in the death, saying he had been assaulted at the prison before.

"What do you mean killed himself? He has been killed in prison," said A.P. Singh, a defense lawyer on the case.

The victim's mother said she was upset by the news and told the AFP news agency that she "just wanted justice for my daughter."

"He knew he was going to die anyway because we had and still have such a strong case against him," the victim's 20-year-old brother said to the Reuters news agency.

"I'm not very thrilled with the news that he killed himself because I wanted him to be hanged ... publicly. Him dying on his own terms seems unfair. But, oh well, one is down. Hopefully the rest will wait for their death sentence," he said.

Singh was being held in New Delhi's Tihar Jail, from where he was making appearances in court. He faced murder, rape and kidnapping charges.

Brutal attack

The victim, a physiotherapist trainee, and her male friend were attacked after boarding the bus on December 16, 2012, as they tried to make their way home after seeing a movie.

Six suspects, the only passengers on the private bus, are accused of beating the man with a metal bar before raping the woman and using the bar to inflict massive internal injuries to her, police say.

The two were dumped along the side of the road, naked and suffering from their injuries. The woman then died in hospital two weeks later.

The incident sparked nationwide protests and demands for the government to better treat and protect women.

tm/pfd (AP, AFP, Reuters)