Mumbai:
The complainant in the Keenan and Reuben murder case has appealed to a court in Mumbai to appoint a woman judge to hear the case.
Pointing out that some of the key eyewitnesses of the 21 listed by the prosecution were women, Avinash Solanki - who himself was witness to the incident - said in his application that the former would be more comfortable narrating the incidents leading to the deaths of the two men in the presence of a woman judge.
"Many eyewitnesses in this case are girls and the deposition would include the details of sexual harassment that they faced. We feel that the women would be more comfortable deposing before a woman judge and that is why we made this appeal," Valerian Santos, Keenan's father, told NDTV.
Keenan Santos and Reuben Fernandez were allegedly killed by eve-teasers while trying to protect their female friends in Mumbai on October 20, 2011. Keenan (24) and Reuben (29) were stabbed after a scuffle near a shop in the Amboli area of Andheri. A crowd watched even as the youngsters were brutally attacked.
The duo were attacked outside an eatery when they tried to protect their female friends from the group of eve-teasers who, after retreating initially, came back to the spot with over 10 aides and brutally assaulted them in full public view. The two died of multiple stab injuries.
The police later arrested Jitendra Rana, Sunil Bodh, Satish Dulhaj and Dipak Tival for the murder.
Following a public outcry, the case was transferred to the fast track court last year. The accused were charged with murder, conspiracy and molestation.