Five Men Charged in Indian Gang Rape Case

Assault sparked protests across India

(Reuters)—Five men were formally charged in court on Thursday with the gang rape and murder of an Indian physiotherapy student, in a case that has generated widespread anger about the government's inability to prevent violence against women.

The December 16 attack on the 23-year-old physiotherapy student and a male companion provoked furious protests close to the seat of government in New Delhi and has fuelled a nationwide debate about the prevalence of sexual crimes in India, where a rape is reported on average every 20 minutes.