Two gangrape suspects confess, one says ‘hang me for horrible crime’

Two of the four men arrested for the gangrape and torture of a 23-year-old woman on a school bus as it moved through a busy south Delhi stretch last Sunday admitted in court today that they had committed a "horrible crime" and one asked to be hanged.

A search is on for a fifth accused who is said to have fled to Bihar and at least one person has been detained for questioning.

"Mujhe phaansi de do (hang me)," Vinay Sharma, a 20-year-old who works as an assistant gym instructor, told a Saket court. "I admit that I have done a horrible crime but I did not do anything to her." Vinay claimed he did not rape the woman but beat up her friend.

He was remanded in police custody for four days along with 19-year-old Pawan Gupta, a fruit vendor. Pawan told the court that he was ashamed of what he had done. "Mujhe apne aap pe bahut sharam aa rahi hai." Both declined to take a test identification parade. "I do not want to participate in the TIP because I have done a horrible crime," Pawan said.

Mukesh, the brother of driver Ram Singh, however, agreed to the TIP and it will be conducted tomorrow at the Tihar Jail where he has been remanded in judicial custody for 14 days. Mukesh was said to be driving the bus while the woman was being raped by his brother Ram Singh and the others. Ram Singh is in police custody until December 23.

The woman's friend, who was badly beaten up and later thrown out with her from the bus, showed up in court today and recorded his statement. He declined to speak to the media and was limping as he walked to the magistrate's chamber.

His father said he wants to take his son home to Gorakhpur as soon as doctors and police let him travel. "It is god's grace my son did not fracture his legs. But they are severely bruised and he is in a lot of pain," the father said. A lawyer himself, the father had a good word for the police. "They caught the men within 24 hours and I am thankful to them for working out the case so quickly," he said.

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