Sushma Swaraj pitches for death for culprits of Mumbai-like gangrape

NEW DELHI: Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj today said she firmly believes that culprits of such crimes like the brutal gangrape of a photojournalist in Mumbai should be given death sentence.

Asked if she still holds the opinion she had articulated after the Nirbhaya gangrape in Delhi on December 16, Swaraj said "I am of the firm view and I reiterate my stand that if punishment of this kind (death sentence) is given to the accused in the Damini... Nirbhaya case, there will definitely be a stop somewhere."

In a debate on the Nirbhaya gangrape case and safety of women in Parliament during the budget session, Swaraj had said the culprits should be given death sentence to deter others from comitting such heinous crimes.

A 22-year old photojournalist was gangraped in Mumbai on August 22 and her male companion beaten up. The case is similar to the Nirbhaya case that took place in a bus on the night of December 16, 2012 in the national capital in which a 23-year old paramedic was gangraped and her friend beaten up.