DCW chief on indefinite fast in Delhi

New Delhi: Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) chairperson Swati Maliwal launched an indefinite hunger strike on Tuesday demanding death penalty for those who were involved in the rape and murder of the 25-year-old Hyderabad veterinarian.

Maliwal visited the Raj Ghat on Tuesday morning before starting the protest. She has earlier said that she will sit on an indefinite fast till the Union government brings in a system that ensures the hanging of rapists within 6 months.

In the afternoon, she tweeted five demands that need to be met, only after which she would break her fast.

The DCW chief's protest comes amid nationwide outrage over the horrific Hyderabad gangrape-murder, in which four perpetrators of the heinous crime have been remanded to police custody.

Hundreds of women joined her in the national capital to protest the horrific gangrape and murder. She also wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday demanding that the rapists be hanged within six months of conviction.

She stressed on the implementation of laws and increasing police resources.

Gathered around Swati Maliwal, the protesting women shouted slogans - such as "Nirbhaya hum sharminda hai, tere kaatil zinda hai (Nirbhaya, we are ashamed.

Your attackers are still alive)", in a reference to the 2012 Delhi gang-rape - to highlight the lack of security for women. One protester held up a poster that read: "Police uncle, are we safe?"

According to popular petition website change.org, over 500 appeals have been launched and more than 15 lakh people have signed these appeals.