A court in India sentenced six men accused in the gang rape of a Swiss tourist to life terms on Saturday, local media said.
The men, aged between 22 and 30, assaulted the 39-year-old woman while she was camping with her husband in a forest in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh in March.
The couple were cycling across the country during their holiday and were heading to the Taj Mahal when the group attacked the husband before raping the woman.
One of suspects was convicted of assaulting and robbing the couple, rather than the rape itself, reports BBC.
The men have denied the charges and may appeal, according to CNN.
The verdict comes amid intense scrutiny on India’s legal system as the country struggles to curb violence against women following a series of brutal assaults.
India’s parliament passed tougher sex offense laws following the fatal gang rape of a 23-year-old medical student on a moving bus in New Delhi, which sparked protests across the country.
The attack on the Swiss tourist led to a 35% fall in female visitors in India in the first three months of the year, the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India said.
The National Crime Records Bureau says more than 24,200 rapes were reported in India – about one every 20 minutes.
