A family in Kolkata, India, is in mourning after the death of their teenage daughter. They say she died after being gang raped twice and burned alive.
"According to the family, the victim was 16 and gang raped twice in October, the second time on her way back from the police station after filing a complaint about the first attack." (Via CNN)
The girl died Dec. 31 from third-degree burns over 65 percent of her body. And she was pregnant.
The International Business Times reports police have admitted the burns came from two men setting the girl on fire — there were reports at first she had attempted suicide.
And according to reports, she was set on fire in her house Dec. 23. Her family was angry she was given no security after the rapes and accuses police for attempting to cover up much of what happened. (Via NDTV)
Euronews reports her family accuses police of trying to have the teen's body cremated to cover up what happened in the case.
Now people in India are protesting in the wake of her death.
Sexual violence against women was a major issue in 2013 in India. It gained international attention. It all started in December 2012, when a woman in her 20s was gang raped on a public bus. The one-year anniversary of her death is Jan. 3. (Via NTDTV)
In 2013, the government did pass stronger laws against rape. It's unclear as of yet whether the harsher laws have decreased crime rates. (Via BBC)
And both the girl's family and anti-rape activists say the new laws aren't really being enforced by police, or at least, they weren't in this case.
"What is the use of policemen who cannot protect us?"
"This family was regularly threatened for over one month, and then she was put on fire."
Police say they are now investigating the 16-year-old's death as a murder, and according to some reports, they have made arrests. The girl's family wants the death penalty for the offenders.
