The brutal sexual assault and subsequent death, due to severe injuries, of a young health professional in Delhi have triggered off outrage and unprecedented mass protests across the country. Angry protesters have demanded the death penalty for those who committed this heinous rape and murder; there have also been demands for more severe punishment for rape, including chemical castration. The protestors, mostly young students, have called for better policing, investigation and prosecution. The state has responded with promises to make the law stringent and to make sure the offenders are not let off. The government has also set up a commission inviting civil society to suggest reforms in the rape law and the criminal justice system.