After one of six defendants in the fatal gang rape of a 23-year-old student in India killed himself in prison Monday, the victim’s brother said the dead man’s fate was already sealed, while his lawyer accused jail authorities of killing him. The dead man, Ram Singh, drove the bus in which the woman was raped, prosecutors have said. She later died of her injuries in a Singapore hospital. Five men and one juvenile have been charged with the crime. Officials on Monday said Singh had hanged himself with his own clothes in his cell in New Delhi’s Tihar prison. But Singh’s lawyer told the Associated Press, “What do you mean killed himself? He has been killed in prison.” The victim’s brother, meanwhile, told Reuters that Singh would have been put to death anyway after being found guilty: “Him dying on his own terms seems unfair. But, oh well, one is down. Hopefully the rest will wait for their death sentence.” The next hearing in the men’s trial is set for Monday.
