Delhi gang-rape victim's body likely to be brought back to India today
Edited by Amit Chaturvedi | Updated: December 29, 2012 06:49 IST

Hospital staff carry the body of the Indian rape victim into a van as they leave Mount Elizabeth Hospital for the morgue in Singapore December 29, 2012. REUTERS

Singapore: The body of the 23-year-old medical student who died at the Mount Elizabeth Hospital in Singapore early this morning, is likely to be brought back to India tonight for last rites.

Doctors said she died of severe organ failure. Her parents were by her side. "They bore the entire process with a great deal of fortitude and a great deal of courage," said TCA Raghavan, the Indian High Commissioner to Singapore.

Mr Raghavan was present in hospital when the student died.

The young woman, who was brutally gang-raped by six men in a moving bus in Delhi on December 16, died at 4.45 am local time (2.15 am IST) after battling severe injuries for 13 days.

Her body has been taken in a police van from the super-speciality hospital where she was treated, to the Singapore General Hospital. Some formalities are expected to be completed there, before her parents fly back with her body to India later in the day.

Singapore has a big Indian population and special prayers had been organised at a temple in an area known as Little India.
http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/delhi-gang-rape-victim-s-body-likely-to-be-brought-back-to-india-today-310946

 

Dec. 29, 2012NEW: Actor Amitabh Bachchan says the rape victim's "soul shall ... forever stir our hearts"
NEW: "The scale of her injuries ... proved too much," an Indian diplomat says
IA NEWS Updated December 28, 2012, 5:48 p.m. ET Delhi Rape Victim Dies in Hospital By PAUL BECKETT NEW DELHI—The victim of a gang rape earlier this month in India's capital that prompted widespread rage and a national debate over the treatment of women died in a Singapore hospital Friday, according to her doctors. European Pressphoto Agency An Indian protester with hands colored in fake blood holds a candle during a march in Kolkata Friday against the gang rape of a student. Read More Indians Abroad Offer Support to Rape VictimNo Consensus on Fixing India's Rape LawsI Am Scared, I Am a Single Woman in Delhi Read complete coverage from India Real Time . A statement by Singapore's Mount Elizabeth hospital where the 23-year-old victim was being treated said she "died peacefully" in the early hours of Saturday. The woman, who hasn't been identified but is in her early 20s, was airlifted to Singapore earlier this week to receive specialist care after she received treatment for her injuries in a New Delhi hospital that included the removal of much of her intestines. She was raped and assaulted by a group of men on a moving bus as it drove around India's capital on the night of Dec. 16. A male companion was badly beaten trying to defend her. Six men, including the bus driver, have been arrested and charged with offenses including rape and kidnapping, according to Delhi police. The incident exposed a brutish and chauvinistic side of a nation that is frequently portrayed world-wide as a rapidly-growing democracy that respects personal freedom and is full of aspiration-filled young people, especially when compared with the intolerance toward women elsewhere in the region, notably in Pakistan and Afghanistan. The rape sparked angry demonstrations last weekend over the perceived incompetence of the police in protecting women in India's chaotic capital, where incidents of rape, sexual abuse and sexual harassment are frequently reported. Many of those in the initial protests were young students, like the rape victim. A police clampdown on the protests with tear gas and water cannons further fanned the outrage. So have comments from politicians that appear insensitive to the plight of women in deeply patriarchal northern India. That has sparked a backlash on television news channels, newspaper opinion pages and social media against the tight security and privilege enjoyed by a male-dominated, elderly political class compared with the vulnerability of ordinary women that the incident exposed. On Thursday, Abhijit Mukherjee, a member of Parliament for the ruling Congress party and the son of India's president, Pranab Mukherjee, attracted widespread condemnation when he suggested that some of those involved in the protests appeared to be "dented-painted" women rather than students, an apparent reference to the older age of some protesters. The euphemism is typically used for cars that have been damaged and touched up. He added that it had become fashionable to attend protests, candles in hand. Mr. Mukherjee later in the day apologized and withdrew the remarks in a series of prime-time television interviews but not before being lambasted by presenters for his insensitivity and criticized on live television by his own sister. Also on Thursday, in a speech before a meeting of state chief ministers on development, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh singled out the issue of women's safety as a major concern as women become a greater part of the workforce and change from their traditional roles of housewives rarely seen in public at night alone. "Women and girls represent half the population and our society hasn't been fair to this half," Mr. Singh told the National Development Council. "The emergence of women in public spaces, which is an absolutely essential part of social emancipation, is accompanied by growing threats to their safety and security." The government has said it would fast-track the trials of the alleged rapists and strengthen laws to combat crimes against women. There also is a proposal for the creation of a national database for convicted rapists. The protests had largely fizzled by Friday. But the rape as a flash point for broader anger against the government and the police hasn't. Television channels on Friday reported on the suicide of a young woman earlier this week in the northwestern state of Punjab after police allegedly ignored her when she complained that she was gang-raped in November. And government officials continue to face criticism for being slow to engage with a younger generation that is demanding better security and a more responsive government. On Friday—almost two weeks after the rape and almost one week after protests began— Sonia Gandhi, president of the ruling Congress party and the nation's most powerful politician, appeared before cameras to talk about the incident for the first time. She told reporters that the government will ensure the perpetrators of the rape are brought to justice. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323530404578207560544876942.html?mod=wsj_share_tweet India Gang-Rape Victim Dies In Singapore Hospital By HEATHER TAN 12/28/12 05:09 PM ET EST SINGAPORE -- A young Indian woman who was gang-raped and severely beaten on a bus in New Delhi died early Saturday at a hospital in Singapore, the hospital said. The 23-year-old victim "died peacefully," according to a statement by Singapore's Mount Elizabeth hospital where she was being treated. The woman's horrific ordeal galvanized Indians, who have held almost daily demonstrations to demand greater protection from sexual violence, from groping to rape, which impacts thousands of women every day, but which often goes unreported. She and a male friend were traveling in a public bus on Dec. 16 evening when they were attacked by six men who raped her and beat them both. They also stripped both naked and threw them off the bus on a road. The attack two weeks ago brought new focus on police and community attitudes toward woman in India. Demonstrators in New Delhi have demanded stronger protections for women and stronger punishment for rapists. Indian authorities have been accused of belittling rape victims and refusing to file cases against their attackers, further deterring victims – already under societal pressure to keep the assaults quiet – from reporting the crimes. After 10 days at a New Delhi hospital, the victim was flown to Singapore on Thursday for treatment at the Mount Elizabeth hospital, which specializes in multi-organ transplant. Media reports have said that her assailants beat her and inserted an iron rod into her body during the assault, resulting in severe organ damage. But by late Friday, the young woman's condition had "taken a turn for the worse" and her vital signs had deteriorated with indications of severe organ failure, said Dr. Kelvin Loh, the chief executive officer of Singapore's Mount Elizabeth hospital. "This is despite doctors fighting for her life including putting her on maximum artificial ventilation support, optimal antibiotic doses as well as stimulants which maximize her body's capability to fight infections," he said, adding that family members are by her side. She had earlier suffered a heart attack, a lung and abdominal infection and `'significant" brain injury, according to the hospital. Police have arrested six people in connection with the attack, which left the victim with severe internal injuries. She was traveling in the virtually empty bus with a male friend when they were attacked. Some politicians have come under fire for comments insulting the protesters and diminishing the crime. On Friday, Abhijit Mukherjee, a national lawmaker and the son of India's president, apologized for calling the protesters `'highly dented and painted" women, who go from discos to demonstrations. `'I tender my unconditional apology to all the people whose sentiments got hurt," he told NDTV news. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/28/indian-gang-rape-victim-dies-hospital_n_2377717.html SINGAPORE | Fri Dec 28, 2012 5:09pm EST Funeral for 7-year old Josephine Gay, killed days… India gang rape victim dies in Singapore hospital (Reuters) - The Indian gang-rape victim whose assault in New Delhi triggered nationwide protests has died, the Singapore hospital treating her said on Saturday. "We are very sad to report that the patient passed away peacefully at 4.45 a.m. on Dec 29, 2012 (11:45 a.m. E Friday). Her family and officials from the High Commission of India were by her side," Mount Elizabeth Hospital Chief Executive Officer Kelvin Loh said in a statement. The 23-year-old medical student, who was severely beaten, raped for almost an hour and thrown out of a moving bus in New Delhi on Dec 16, was airlifted to Singapore on December 26 for specialist treatment. The attack had sparked demonstrations across India, culminating last weekend in pitched battles between police and protesters outraged over the lack of safety for women in the capital. "Despite all efforts by a team of eight specialists in Mount Elizabeth Hospital to keep her stable, her condition continued to deteriorate over these two days. She had suffered from severe organ failure following serious injuries to her body and brain." "She was courageous in fighting for her life for so long against the odds but the trauma to her body was too severe for her to overcome," he added. Separately, authorities in Punjab took action Thursday when an 18-year-old woman killed herself by drinking poison a month after she told police she was gang-raped. State authorities suspended one police officer and fired two others on accusations they delayed investigating and taking action in the case. The three accused in the rape were only arrested Thursday night, a month after the crime was reported. "This is a very sensitive crime, I have taken it very seriously," said Paramjit Singh Gill, a top police officer in the city of Patiala. The Press Trust of India reported that the woman was raped Nov. 13 and reported the attack to police Nov. 27. But police harassed the girl, asked her embarrassing questions and took no action against the accused, PTI reported, citing police sources. Authorities in the eastern state of Chhattisgarh also suspended a police officer on accusations he refused to register a rape complaint from a woman who said she had been attacked by a driver. (Reporting by Eveline Danubrata and Kevin Lim; Editing by Jon Hemming) http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/12/28/us-india-rape-idUSBRE8BR03620121228 Published: December 29, 2012 03:40 IST | Updated: December 29, 2012 03:46 IST Delhi gang-rape victim succumbs to injuries AP Doctors say the 23-year-old girl who was gang-raped and severely beaten on a bus in New Delhi has died at a hospital in Singapore. A statement by Singapore’s Mount Elizabeth hospital where the victim was being treated said she “died peacefully” early on Saturday. http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/delhi-gangrape-victim-succumbs-to-injuries/article4250043.ece?homepage=true&css=print Delhi gang-rape victim dies in hospital in Singapore The victim died in the early hours of Saturday morning, a hospital official said A female student gang-raped on a bus in India's capital Delhi has died at a Singapore hospital, doctors say. "The patient passed away peacefully at 4:45am on 29 Dec 2012," a statement from the hospital said. The patient's family had been by her side, it added. The 23-year-old had arrived in Singapore on Thursday after undergoing three operations in a Delhi hospital. The attack earlier this month triggered violent public protests in India that left one police officer dead. "The patient had remained in an extremely critical condition since admission to Mount Elizabeth Hospital," a statement from hospital chief executive Kelvin Loh said. "She had suffered from severe organ failure following serious injuries to her body and brain. She was courageous in fighting for her life for so long against the odds but the trauma to her body was too severe for her to overcome," the statement went on. "We are humbled by the privilege of being tasked to care for her in her final struggle," Mr Loh said. A team of eight specialists had tried to keep the patient stable, but her condition continued to deteriorate over the two days she was at Mount Elizabeth Hospital, he added. The victim and her friend had been to see a film when they boarded the bus in the Munirka area of Delhi, intending to travel to Dwarka in the south-west of the city. Police said she was raped for nearly an hour, and both she and her companion were beaten with iron bars and thrown out of the moving bus and into the street. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-20860569 Indian gang rape victim dies in a Singapore hospital, as protests grow on her behalf The horrific attack in New Delhi gained global attention after the 23-year-old was beaten, raped with an iron rod for nearly an hour and tossed out of a moving bus like trash. She died after battling "significant brain injury" and a lung and abdominal infection. Comments (31) THE ASSOCIATED PRESS PUBLISHED: FRIDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2012, 11:38 AM UPDATED: FRIDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2012, 7:59 PM SAURABH DAS/AP Indians participating in a candle light vigil Dec. 26 to seek a quick recovery of the young victim of the recent brutal gang-rape in a bus in New Delhi, India, learned with great sadness that the 23-year-old victim died Saturday, Dec. 29. She "passed away peacefully" with her family and officials of the Indian embassy by her side," says Dr. Kevin Loh, the chief executive of Mount Elizabeth hospital, where she was being treated. RELATED STORIES Rape victim in India flown to Singapore for treatment, as PM pledges new laws, speedier trials to crack down on attacksLook out, Dick Fuld! CEO murdered by fired workersGang rape protests continue in India as injured police officer dies in hospitalProtesters in India clash with police following gang rape, beating of 23-year-old student on bus SINGAPORE — A young Indian woman who was gang-raped and severely beaten on a bus died Saturday at a Singapore hospital, after her horrific ordeal galvanized Indians to demand greater protection for women from sexual violence that impacts thousands of them every day. She "passed away peacefully" with her family and officials of the Indian Embassy by her side, Dr. Kevin Loh, the chief executive of Mount Elizabeth hospital, said in a statement. After 10 days at a hospital in the Indian capital of New Delhi, where the attack occurred, the victim was brought Thursday to Mount Elizabeth hospital, which specializes in multi-organ transplant. Loh said the woman had remained in extremely critical condition since Thursday, and by late Friday her condition had taken a turn for the worse and her vital signs had deteriorated. "Despite all efforts by a team of eight specialists in Mount Elizabeth Hospital to keep her stable, her condition continued to deteriorate over these two days," Loh said. "She had suffered from severe organ failure following serious injuries to her body and brain. She was courageous in fighting for her life for so long against the odds but the trauma to her body was too severe for her to overcome." The woman and a male friend, who have not been identified, were traveling on a bus in New Delhi after watching a film on the evening of Dec. 16 when they were attacked by six men who raped her. The men also beat the couple and inserted an iron rod into the woman's body, resulting in severe organ damage. Both were then stripped and thrown off the bus, according to police. EDGAR SU/REUTERS Dr. Yatin Mehta and Dr. P.K Verma struggled to save the young rape victim during her treatment at Mount Elizabeth Medical Centre in Singapore. The 23-year-old Indian student, who was gang-raped in New Delhi, died from her injuries Saturday. Indian police have arrested six people in connection with the attack, which left the victim with severe internal injuries, a lung infection and brain damage. She also suffered from a heart attack while in the hospital in India. Indian High Commissioner, or ambassador, T.C.A. Raghanvan told reporters that the scale of the injuries she suffered was "very grave" and in the end "proved too much." He said arrangements were being made to take her body back to India. AP PHOTO Indian students hold placards demanding severe punishment for rapists as they condemn the gang-rape of a student in New Delhi during a protest in Jammu, India, on Dec. 20. But they face an uphill struggle. For example, on Friday, Abhijit Mukherjee, a national lawmaker and the son of India's president, caused an uproar and then hastily apologized for calling the protesters "highly dented and painted" women, who go from discos to demonstrations. The frightening nature of the crime shocked Indians, who have come out in the thousands for almost daily demonstrations. Indian television channels said security had been tightened in New Delhi on Sunday in anticipation of more protests following the woman's death. The protesters are demanding stronger protection for women and the death penalty for rape, which is now punishable by a maximum of life imprisonment. Women face daily harassment across India, ranging from catcalls on the streets, groping and touching in public transport to rape. The tragedy has forced India to confront the reality that sexually assaulted women are often blamed for the crime, which forces them to keep quiet and not report it to authorities for fear of exposing their families to ridicule. Also, police often refuse to accept complaints from those who are courageous enough to report the rapes, and the rare prosecutions that reach courts drag on for years. Indian attitudes toward rape are so entrenched that even politicians and opinion makers have often suggested that women should not go out at night or wear clothes that might be seen provocative. On Friday, Abhijit Mukherjee, a national lawmaker and the son of India's president, apologized for calling the protesters "highly dented and painted" women who go from discos to demonstrations. "I tender my unconditional apology to all the people whose sentiments got hurt," he told NDTV news. INDIAN WOMEN LIVE IN FEAR AS GANG RAPE SPARKS PROTESTS TAUSEEF MUSTAFA/AFP/GETTY IMAGES Kashmiri Sikh students shout slogans and hold placards as they take part in a protest in Srinagar on December 27, following the rape of a student in the Indian capital on December 16. The fatal attack has sparked a wave of protests across India in which a policeman died and more than 100 police and protestors were injured. Separately, authorities in Punjab state took action Thursday when an 18-year-old woman killed herself by drinking poison a month after she told police she was gang-raped. State authorities suspended one police officer and fired two others on accusations they delayed investigating and taking action in the case. The three accused in the rape were only arrested Thursday night, a month after the crime was reported. "This is a very sensitive crime, I have taken it very seriously," said Paramjit Singh Gill, a top police officer in the city of Patiala.
RAVEENDRAN/AFP/GETTY IMAGES Indian riot policemen stand in front of a demonstrating crowd during a protest calling for better safety for women following the deadly and brutal rape of a student in the Indian capital, in New Delhi on December 27.

GANG RAPE PROTESTS CONTINUE IN INDIA AS INJURED POLICE OFFICER DIES

The Press Trust of India reported that the woman was raped Nov. 13 and reported the attack to police Nov. 27. But police harassed the girl, asked her embarrassing questions and took no action against the accused, PTI reported, citing police sources.

Authorities in the eastern state of Chhattisgarh also suspended a police officer on accusations he refused to register a rape complaint from a woman who said she had been attacked by a driver.

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/gang-raped-woman-death-article-1.1228843#ixzz2GOluSpZm