AN INDIAN court sentenced a police volunteer to life in prison today after finding him guilty of the rape and killing of a trainee doctor last summer.

The crime sparked nationwide protests over inadequate safety for women and led to a speedy trial in the country’s slow-moving justice system.

Sanjay Roy, who has consistently maintained his innocence, can appeal in a higher court against his conviction.

The killing of the physician while she was on duty at a hospital in the eastern city of Kolkata highlighted India’s serious problem with violence against women. 

Police discovered her bloodied body in the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital’s seminar hall on August 9 last year. 

An autopsy found she had been strangled and sexually assaulted.

Federal police, who investigated the case, said the perpetrator deserved to be executed. The parents of the victim have also sought the death penalty for Mr Roy and said they suspected more people were involved in the crime.

The case was initially investigated by Kolkata police, but the court later handed it over to federal investigators after state government officers were accused of mishandling the investigation.

Following the assault, doctors and medical students across India held protests and rallies demanding better security. Thousands of women also protested in the streets, demanding swift punishment of the crime.