NEW DELHI — Five men accused of raping a university student for hours on a bus as it drove through India’s capital were charged with murder, rape and other crimes that could bring them the death penalty.

The attack on the 23-year-old woman, who died of severe internal injuries over the weekend, provoked a fierce debate across India about the routine mistreatment of females and triggered daily protests demanding action.

There have been signs of change since the attack. Rapes, often ignored, have become front-page news, politicians have called for tougher laws, including the death penalty for rapists, and the government is examining wide-scale reforms in the criminal justice system’s handling of sexual assaults. Activists say the tragedy could mark a turning point for women’s rights.

The government set up a special fast-track court Wednesday to deal with crimes against women, and that is where the charges against the five men were filed Thursday.