Life sentence for Indian police volunteer over rape-murder of Kolkata junior doctor

A court in India on Monday sentenced a police volunteer to life imprisonment for the rape and murder of a junior doctor at the hospital where she worked in the eastern city of Kolkata.

The victim's body was discovered in a classroom at the state-run R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital on Aug. 9. The crime sparked national outrage over women's safety and prompted other doctors to strike for weeks, demanding justice and better security at public hospitals.

Sanjay Roy, the convicted police volunteer, was found guilty by Judge Anirban Das on Saturday, who said circumstantial evidence proved the charges against Roy.

Roy maintained his innocence, claiming he had been framed, and sought clemency.

The federal police, who investigated the case, classified the crime as belonging to the "rarest-of-rare" category and recommended the death penalty. Judge Das, however, disagreed, ruling it was not a "rarest-of-rare" case and noted Roy could appeal to a higher court.

The sentence was announced in a packed courtroom on Monday, where the public was allowed to witness the proceedings. The trial itself, however, was conducted behind closed doors.

The victim's parents were present in court as the sentence was delivered. Security was heightened at the court complex, with dozens of police personnel deployed.