An Indian court has sentenced a man to life imprisonment for the rape and murder of a doctor

An Indian court has sentenced a man to life in prison for the rape and murder of a young doctor, in a case that has sparked outrage and protests across the country.

The judge rejected demands for the death penalty but awarded Sanjoy Roy, a hospital volunteer convicted weekend, he will spend the rest of his life in prison.

Roy maintains that he is innocent and is expected to challenge this decision in the Supreme Court.

The family of the deceased said they wanted him to be hanged, saying they were shocked by the sentence.

“We will continue our fight, and we will not let the investigation stop… Either way, we will fight for justice,” the woman’s father told AFP news agency.

Indian law prohibits revealing the identities of victims of sexual violence and their family members.

The killing of a trainee doctor at a hospital in the eastern city of Kolkata where he was working shocked the entire country last August.

The 31-year-old suspect had gone to sleep in the seminar hall of the government school RG Kar Medical College and Hospital after working at night. His naked, severely injured body was found by a colleague near the stage.

The crime has sparked widespread protests and concerns about the safety of health workers in India, especially women.

According to a document filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), seen by the BBC, Roy went to the hospital drunk and found a female doctor sleeping alone.

The autopsy report revealed that the woman had been strangled and had injuries that indicated she had fought.

Roy was arrested a day after committing the crime and has been denying the allegations.

In Kolkata, doctors have gone on strike for weeks, demanding action against the accused and officials they say are involved in delaying or obstructing the investigation.