Delhi gang-rape victim named by father in UK newspaper

The father of the New Delhi gang-rape victim has revealed his daughter's identity to a British newspaper and called for her name to be made public "to give courage to other women" in an interview published Sunday.

"My daughter didn't do anything wrong, she died while protecting herself," he told the Sunday People. "We want the world to know her real name.

"I am proud of her," he added. "Revealing her name will give courage to other women who have survived these attacks. They will find strength from my daughter."

Indian law forbids the naming of victims of sexual offences to shield them from social stigma, but her identity and that of her father was published in the British tabloid.

The paper also carried a photograph of the father but said the family had asked it not to publish a photograph of the victim.

The father also used the interview, which took place in the village of Billia in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, to renew his calls for the attackers to be hanged.

He added that the support of the Indian people had "given us strength to cope up with our loss."

"I feel she’s not just my daughter but also India's daughter," he said.

A district court in south Delhi has admitted charges against five suspects, who have been ordered to appear there together for the first time on Monday.

In addition to rape, kidnap and robbery, they face a murder charge and possibly the death penalty after the 23-year-old victim died last weekend from her injuries, including internal wounds caused by an iron bar.

The victim was a physiotherapy student interning in New Delhi who had been to see the "Life of Pi" film at an upmarket shopping mall.

Her boyfriend was also injured as he tried to prevent the assault which took place on a moving bus on December 16, stirring violent protests and a bout of soul-searching on the treatment of women and rising sex crime in India.