An Indian court has found a guru guilty of raping a teenage girl in 2013 and sentenced him to life in prison. The verdict against Asaram Bapu, 77, was read out inside a prison in Jodhpur, Rajasthan state, due to fears that his followers might resort to violence.Security was tight around the prison complex and in states where the guru has a large following. It is the latest high-profile rape case in India, following others that have fuelled public protests and raised questions about how police handle allegations and treat victims. In August, another popular guru, Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, was sentenced to 20 years in prison for raping two female followers.

Responding to widespread outrage over the recent rape and killings of girls and other attacks on children, India’s government last week approved the death penalty for people convicted of raping children under the age of 12. The judge, Madhusudhan Sharma, announced the prison term for Bapu and sentenced two of his associates to 20 years in prison each for helping him in the crime. Sharma convicted Bapu on charges of criminal conspiracy, wrongful confinement and rape.(theguardian)…[+]