A court in India has sentenced a man to life in prison for the rape and murder of a young doctor, a crime that sparked outrage and protests across the country.
The judge rejected requests for the death penalty but said Sanjoy Roy, a hospital volunteer who is convicted over the weekend, he would spend the rest of his life in prison.
Roy has maintained his innocence and is expected to appeal the verdict to a higher court.
The victim’s family said they wanted him hanged and were “shocked” by the verdict.
“We will continue our fight and we will not let the investigations stop… No matter what, we will fight for justice,” the woman’s father told AFP.
Indian law prohibits the disclosure of the identity of victims of sexual violence and their family members.
The doctor’s murder, which happened last year in the hospital in the city of Kolkata in the state of West Bengal where she worked, caused shock throughout the country.
The 31-year-old woman went to sleep in the seminar hall of the State Medical College and RG Kar Hospital after a tiring shift. Her half-naked, severely injured body was later discovered near the podium by a colleague.
The crime sparked widespread protests and concerns about the safety of health workers in India, especially women.
According to an indictment filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), seen by the BBC, Roy went to the hospital drunk and found the doctor sleeping alone.
An autopsy report found that the woman had been strangled and had injuries that indicated she had struggled.
Roy was arrested the day after the crime and has consistently denied the charges.
In Kolkata, doctors have been on strike for weeks, demanding action against the accused and officials they said were complicit in delaying or omitting the investigation.
