Youth jailed for life for raping 80-yr-old mentally ill woman

A youth, convicted for raping a mentally challenged 80-year-old woman who is in a persistent vegetative state, has been jailed for rest of his life by a Delhi court.
Awarding the jail term to 24-year-old Shankar Singh, Additional sessions judge Nivedita Anil Sharma also made it clear that "life means the remainder of the convict's natural life".
"It has already been observed in the judgement that this case is a glaring example of the growing menace of sexual abuse. Rape is an abominable and ghastly and it worsens and becomes inhuman and barbaric when the victim who is in a persistent vegetative state besides being a senior citizen of advanced age of about 80 years is subjected to unwanted physical contact by a perverted male young adult," the court said and also imposed a fine of Rs 50,000 on Singh.

The judge refused to show any leniency to the convict and said he has raped an aged woman who "does not speak, move or respond. She is suffering from severe Dementia. She was a helpless, defenceless, vulnerable and an easy prey."
The court directed the state to pay compensation to the victim, as per the Delhi Victims Compensation Scheme, which entitles them for Rs 2 lakh and Rs 3 lakh as minimum and maximum compensation respectively.
The shocking incident took place on intervening night of April 15-16, when the victim was sleeping outside her house near Mansarovar Garden in west Delhi and neighbour Singh raped her.

Two eye witnesses told the court that they were lying on their cots few steps away from the woman and they noticed that Singh first sat on her cot and inquired whether she had her dinner.
He then raped her, the witnesses said and on noticing his act, they shouted at Singh after which he ran away.
They informed the woman's family members who were sleeping inside the house and after beating Singh, decided to inform police in the morning. He was then arrested.