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Delhi rape victim’s condition deteriorates

18 December 2012

press trust of india

NEW DELHI, 18 DEC: The condition of the 23-year-old paramedical student, who was allegedly gang-raped by a group of men in a moving bus here, deteriorated this evening after which she has been put on “full-time ventilatory support”, doctors attending on her said.

The girl's condition in the morning was “better than yesterday's” but as the day progressed, her health condition kept fluctuating, they said.

The victim, who was admitted to Safdarjung Hospital on Sunday after she was brutally assaulted and raped, continues to be in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). “Her condition is critical and deteriorating. In the morning, she was better but, in the evening, the situation fluctuated and her health deteriorated,” Dr B D Athani, Medical Superintendent of the hospital, said.

Earlier, Dr Athani had said she will be kept under “close observation” by the doctors for the next 48 to 72 hours because of the nature of injuries inflicted on her. Dr Athani said doctors were reviewing her case periodically and ensuring she gets best of the treatment. “We still cannot call her out of danger because of the nature of injuries,” he said. Doctors said the paramedical student from Dehradun, who was here for her internship, has suffered severe injuries on her head and in the face as she was brutally attacked by the men with an iron rod.

Meanwhile, police said the six men, who allegedly gang-raped the girl, were apparently so confident they will not be caught that the assailants carried on with their routine chores the next day while one brought back the vehicle to his house. But luck ran out for the men within 24 hours as police, who were aided by the description provided by the victims about the vehicle, zeroed in on them, even arresting one from Rajasthan where he was in hiding.

Police today saying that it will invoke attempt to murder charge against the rapists and seek a fast-track trial for speedy justice. The bus driver, Ram Singh, was today remanded in police custody for five days in by a Delhi court to allow his custodial interrogation. Police told Metropolitan Magistrate Namrita Aggarwal that the other three arrested culprits, Ram Singh's brother Mukesh, Vinay Sharma, an assistant gym instructor, and Pawan Gupta, a fruit seller, will be produced in court tomorrow.

Just before raping the 23-year-old and beating her male friend who tried to protect her, the gang of six, two of them still absconding, looted a carpenter by providing him a lift in the bus. These details that emerged during the ongoing probe into the crime were given by Delhi Police Commissioner Neeraj Kumar at a Press conference today.

The arrested have been identified as driver Ram Singh, his brother Mukesh, Pawan, a fruit seller, and Vinay, an assistant instructor in a gymnasium. Two persons Akshay Thakur and Raju are still on the run. “Pawan and Vinay went back to their normal vocations and pretended nothing happened while Ram Singh and Akshay took the bus to Noida in the early hours of Monday to avoid being caught. But later Ram Singh thought nothing would happen and brought the vehicle back to R K Puram where it was detected on secret information,” Mr Kumar said.

Just before heading for a joyride, he said, they had a party. Ram Singh and his helper Akshay had cooked chicken and had a small party along with his younger brother Mukesh, also a driver-cum-cleaner and staying in the same neighbourhood. “They decided to go for a joy ride and have fun while picking up some extra bucks from giving lift to people so that more drinks could be bought,” Ms Chhaya Sharma, Deputy Commissioner of Police (South), said. "After the incident, they dispersed and Raju, Mukesh and Akshay tried to destroy the evidence of the incident,” Ms Sharma said.

Investigators said the male friend of the rape victim gave them “helpful” description about the bus. “He told us it was a white colour bus and it had curtains. Also he told us that the name 'Yadav' was written on it,” Mr Kumar said.

It all started when the victim's friend objected to the six men passing lewd comments at the girl. “Then they were enraged and dragged the girl to backseat where they sexually assaulted her,” he said.  

NHRC finds fault with policing

Finding fault with policing in Delhi, NHRC today said the rape has raised the issue of declining public confidence in law and order machinery here and sought a report from the Union Home Ministry and Delhi Police. Taking suo motu cognisance of Sunday's incident, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) issued notices to the Union Home Secretary and the Delhi Police Commissioner and asked them to submit their reports within two weeks. In its notices to Union Home Secretary and Delhi Police Commissioner, the Commission said: “Such acts are a grave violation of human rights.”

Cong condemns rape

The Congress today strongly condemned the incident of gang rape in South Delhi saying it will not be allowed to pass as yet another statistic but steered clear of the demand for provision of death penalty for such crimes.

Party spokesperson Mrs Renuka Chowdhary said all women MPs will be meeting Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde, Chief Minister Shiela Dikshit, Delhi Commissioner of Police and National Commission of Women to raise the issue. Earlier, she had, in the Rajya Sabha, urged women members of the House to join hands on the issue and meet Mr Shinde and police officers to ensure speedy action into the case. The lawmakers will be meeting the city police chief tomorrow.

Amid demands from members of UPA ally, the DMK, as well Opposition BJP and the AIADMK for awarding capital punishment to those found guilty of committing rape, party spokesperson Mrs Renuka Chowdhary said it is better that perpetrators of such crimes be made to live with the same stigma, which a victim suffers. Terming the incident as “unfortunate”, Information and Broadcasting Minister Manish Tewari said “we hope Delhi Police will take note of this incident and act expeditiously”. To a suggestion of setting up fast track courts to expedite such cases and prevent recurrence of such incidents, Mr Tewari said police can act swiftly and effectively within the prevailing law.

Open five fast track courts: Dikshit

Amid widespread outrage over the barbaric gangrape, Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit today urged the Chief Justice of Delhi High Court to immediately make functional five special fast track courts to try cases of assault on women, as approved by Delhi government. The chief minister, in a letter to Justice Darmar Murugesan, urged him to take “urgent” action in making the fast track courts functional. She said the city government had already approved setting up of the fast track courts to deal with the cases of sexual assault on women and to provide speedy justice and conviction of the guilty.

Netizens seek swift, strict action against accused

NEW DELHI, 18 DEC: Amid national outrage over the brutal gangrape of a paramedical student, social networking and micro blogging sites have been flooded with strong comments condemning the ghastly act with some demanding that the accused be publicly hanged.

“For once someone should have the self respect to step down for failing to stop such rapes in Delhi,” said Pritish Nandy, a renowned film maker, on Twitter.

Actor Farhan Akhtar tweeted: “I believe swift and severe punishment is the only deterrent. These deviants are not afraid of consequence as it comes too little too late.” Some users also created groups like India against Rape on the social networking portal ~ Facebook. Users on Twitter were also actively following Rajya Sabha MP and actress Jaya Bachchan and appreciated her for strongly taking up the matter in the Parliament today. pti