India gang rape suspect kills self

Ram Singh, one of five suspects in the fatal gang rape of a 23-year-old woman, committed suicide Monday morning, authorities said. Singh was found hanging in his Tihar Jail cell about 5 a.m. sources told the Press Trust of India. India TV reported jail official said Singh used his shirt to hang himself from the grills of his cell. He was rushed to a hospital but was declared dead on arrival. Singh and the other four defendants were to have been produced before the fast track court Monday, India TV said. The Hindustan Times said Singh, the 33-year-old driver of the bus where the victim, a college student, was raped and her boyfriend beaten, faced 13 criminal charges that could have resulted in him receiving the death penalty if convicted in the Dec. 16 assault. The Times said authorities considered him the one who instigated the brutal attack.