I am writing with regard to the report "India fury over gang rapes a sign of a changing nation" (Sept. 3). The teenager involved in the Delhi gang rape and murder case was sentenced to three years in prison. This sentence is a national shame for India and is a wholesale invitation to teenagers to molest girls. Rape is not a minor offense. It is a shameful, criminal offense. Age should not be the barometer in judging such a case. If a person is old enough to commit rape, then he is old enough to face the consequences of his barbarian conduct. The intensity of the crime does not diminish, just because a person is below the age of 18. In this particular case, the girl who was gang-raped died as a result of the injuries she sustained. So it is not merely gang rape. It is also murder. The angst and pain of the parents of the girl who was gang-raped and died in Delhi are understandable. Anyone who indulges in uncivilized crimes like rape, should be ostracized for life from society. The minimum that the Delhi teenager culprit deserves is life imprisonment. I do hope that the Indian judicial system will review the decision in the interest of building a society safe for women in India. Rajendra K. Aneja, Dubai
