Musicians play John Lennon's “Imagine” in a memorial tribute to the 23-year old Indian gang rape victim.–Photo by AFP

NEW DELHI: A group of 600 guitarists have paid a musical tribute to an Indian gang-rape victim, playing “Imagine” by John Lennon in a bid to spread in a country still coming to terms with the violence.

The group assembled at a music festival in the eastern Indian hilltown of Darjeeling on Thursday, nearly three weeks after the brutal rape and murder of a student on a moving bus in New Delhi brought an outpouring of national anger.

“We chose this song because it talks about hope, peace and promise,” Sonam Bhutia, tourism secretary of Darjeeling and one of the festival organisers, told AFP by telephone.

“The song is so inspiring. It talks about a universe without any boundaries,” Bhutia said of the 1971 Lennon track.

“The tribute was a gesture on our part to show that we are with the victim's family in their hour of unimaginable sorrow.” The scenic town of Darjeeling, in a part of India wedged between Nepal and Bhutan, is famous for its tea.

The savage attack on the woman has triggered countrywide protests with calls for better safety and an overhaul of laws governing crimes against women.

Opinion

Editorial

Judiciary’s SOS
Updated 28 Mar, 2024

Judiciary’s SOS

The ball is now in CJP Isa’s court, and he will feel pressure to take action.
Data protection
28 Mar, 2024

Data protection

WHAT do we want? Data protection laws. When do we want them? Immediately. Without delay, if we are to prevent ...
Selling humans
28 Mar, 2024

Selling humans

HUMAN traders feed off economic distress; they peddle promises of a better life to the impoverished who, mired in...
New terror wave
Updated 27 Mar, 2024

New terror wave

The time has come for decisive government action against militancy.
Development costs
27 Mar, 2024

Development costs

A HEFTY escalation of 30pc in the cost of ongoing federal development schemes is one of the many decisions where the...
Aitchison controversy
Updated 27 Mar, 2024

Aitchison controversy

It is hoped that higher authorities realise that politics and nepotism have no place in schools.