GRIPPED

In January, Asha revealed that Jyoti wanted her rapists 'burnt alive'. Father Badri Singh, 53, told the paper he 'felt so relieved' when the judge ruled death by hanging. He said: 'When the judge announced the death penalty I stared right at these men and I saw the fear of death in their eyes. Two of them were crying even. 'But I wasn't bothered and I had no sympathies for them. I will never forgive or forget what they did to my daughter. They're now paying the true price for what they chose to do that night.' The couple added that Jyoti was born a fighter, having spent her first month in intensive care. Even when she was in hospital she believed she would battle through, they explained. Determined to fight for equality between sexes in honour of his daughter, Mr Singh declared her death has been an inspiration for India. He said: 'I feel her life has been sacrificed to teach the world that rapes and this kind of behaviour cannot go on.' When the sentence was announced all convicts broke down apart from Akshay Thakur. Each were ordered to pay 55,000 rupees to the family of their victim. In his closing speech, Judge Khanna said he could not turn a blind eye to rising cases of sexual assault against women. He said: 'The convicts, in the most barbaric manner, pulled out her internal organs with their bare hands and caused her irreparable injuries. 'She and her friend were then thrown out of the moving bus in naked condition, profusely bleeding, on a cold winter night. 'Their unprovoked crime demonstrated exceptional depravity of mind of the convicts. 'The crime of such nature requires exemplary punishment.'