A female physiotherapy intern was beaten and gang raped in Delhi on 16 December 2012, and died thirteen days later while undergoing emergency treatment in Singapore for brain and gastrointestinal damage from the assault. She and a male companion boarded a bus in South Delhi in the evening after watching a movie, and were assaulted by five passengers already aboard. She was taken to Safdarjang Hospital, received multiple surgeries, and was placed on mechanical ventilation. On 26 December, she was moved to Singapore for further treatment, and she died on 29 December.
As of 21 December 2012, six men, including the bus driver, have been arrested. The incident has generated international coverage and was condemned by the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women, who called on the Government of India and the Government of Delhi "to do everything in their power to take up radical reforms, ensure justice and reach out with robust public services to make women’s lives more safe and secure". Public protests took place in Delhi, where thousands of protesters clashed with security forces. Similar protests took place in major cities throughout the country.
Incident
The victims, a 23-year-old physiotherapy intern and her male friend, were on their way home after watching a movie in Saket in South Delhi. They boarded a bus that was being driven by joyriders at about 9:30 pm. The woman became suspicious when the bus deviated from its normal route and its doors were shut. When she objected, the group of six men already on board taunted the couple, asking what they were doing alone at such a late hour.
When the victim's friend tried to intervene, he was beaten, gagged and knocked unconscious with an iron rod. The men then dragged the woman to the rear of the bus, beating her with the rod and raping her while the bus drove. Medical reports later suggested that the woman suffered serious injuries to her abdomen, intestines and genitals due to assault and doctors say that the damage indicates that a blunt object (suspected to be the iron rod) may have been used for penetration. That rod was later described by police as being a rusted, L-shaped implement of the type used with a wheel jack. After the beatings and rape ended, the gang threw the two from the moving bus, and one of the perpetrators later cleaned the vehicle. Police impounded it the next day.
The woman and her companion were found by a passerby on the road, partially clothed and unconscious, around 11 pm. The passerby phoned Delhi Police, who took the couple to hospital, where the woman was given emergency treatment and placed on mechanical ventilation.
Victims
The female victim was from the Ballia district of Uttar Pradesh. Her male friend was 28 years old, from Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh, and lives in Ber Sarai, New Delhi.[9] Pseudonyms have been used for the female victim, including Amanat (after the Indian TV soap operaAmanat), Nirbhaya (fearless one), and Damini (after the 1993 Hindi film Damini).
[edit]Treatment and death of rape victim
On 19 December 2012, the damaged intestines of the victim were resected due to risk of gangrene, and she received intravenous nutrition and medication.On 21 December 2012, the government appointed a committee of physicians to ensure she received the best medical care. By 25 December 2012, she remained intubated, on life support and in critical condition. Doctors stated that the internal bleeding had been controlled to an extent, but her increased bilirubin level (suggesting hepatic dysfunction or hemolysis) was a "serious cause of concern".
At a cabinet meeting chaired by Manmohan Singh on 26 December, the decision was made that she would be flown to the Mount Elizabeth Hospital in Singapore for further care. Mount Elizabeth is a multi-organ transplant specialty hospital.
The decision to move the patient while she was still in critical condition has been criticized for being purely political. Doctors have questioned the need to transfer an ICU patient for organ transplants that were not scheduled for weeks or even months later.
Government sources indicate that Chief Minister of Delhi, Sheila Dikshit was personally behind the decision.Hours earlier, Union Minister P. Chidambaram had stated that the woman was not in a condition to move.
During the six-hour flight by air-ambulance to Singapore, at 30,000 feet, the victim suddenly went into a near collapse. Her blood pressure dipped alarmingly, and doctors on the flight had to create an arterial line to stabilize her. That the doctors were able to perform this procedure in-flight was considered a medical feat However, the victim never regained consciousness in Singapore
On 28 December 2012, at 11 am (IST), her condition was "extremely critical" and the Chief Executive Officer of the Mount Elizabeth Hospital said that the woman suffered brain damage, pneumonia, abdominal infection, and that she was "fighting for her life." Her condition continued to deteriorate, and she died at 4:45 am on 29 December, Singapore Standard Time (2:15 am, 29 December, IST; 8:45 pm, 28 December, UTC).
[edit]Alleged perpetrators
Six men have been arrested in connection with the incident: Ram Singh, the bus driver, and his brother, Mukesh Singh, were both arrested in Rajasthan; Vinay Sharma, an assistant gym instructor, was arrested in Delhi, as was Pawan Gupta, a fruit seller; Raju, aminor, who was detained by the police in Budaun, Uttar Pradesh; and Akshay Thakur, a man who had gone to Delhi seeking work, who was arrested in Aurangabad in Bihar.
Ram Singh was presented before the Metropolitan Magistrate on 18 December 2012.
Mukesh Singh, who was placed in Tihar Jail after his arrest, was assaulted by other inmates. Jail authorities denied reports that he had also been forced to consume human excreta and urine. They placed him in solitary confinement for his own protection.
Ram and Mukesh Singh are from Ravi Dass Camp, a slum in South Delhi
[edit]Prosecution
The male victim testified in court on 19 December.The female victim recorded her statement with a sub-divisional magistrate at the Safdarjung Hospital on 21 December 2012, in the presence of the Deputy Commissioner of police.
The five adults accused could face charges under the Indian Penal Code. The juvenile suspect, Raju, is subject to a separate legal process. The police promised to file the charge sheet within one week, following public outrage and demand for a speedy trial and prosecution.
At the suggestion of the Delhi Chief Minister, the Delhi High Court approved the creation of five fast-track courts to try rape and sexual assault cases.[35] On 21 December 2012, the government promised to file the charge sheet "quickly" and seek the maximum penalty of life imprisonment for the perpetrators. The Union Parliament’s Standing Committee on Home Affairs met on 27 December 2012 to discuss the issue, with summonses for Union Home Secretary R. K. Singh and Delhi Police Commissioner Neeraj Kumar.
On 21 December 2012, the Delhi High Court reprimanded the Delhi police for being "evasive" in a probe status report providing details of officers on patrol duty in the area covered by the bus route. A further court hearing on this matter is scheduled for 9 January 2013.The following day, the Delhi Police initiated action against three Hauz Khas police station personnel for alleged inaction on an alleged robbery of the bus on which the gang rape and assault occurred. Just before the gang rape, the accused had robbed a carpenter, Ramadhar, after picking him up in their area.On 24 December 2012, two Assistant Commissioners of Police were suspended for failing to prevent the gang rape incident.
On 29 December 2012, following the death of the victim, the accused were charged with murder by the police.
[edit]Reactions
[edit]Public protests
Public protests took place in New Delhi on 21 December 2012 at India Gate and Raisina Hill, the latter being the location of both the Parliament of India and Rashtrapati Bhavan, the official residence of the president. Thousands of protesters clashed with police, overturned cars, and battled Rapid Action Force units. Demonstrators werelathi charged, shot with water cannons and tear gas shells, and arrested.
Yoga guru Baba Ramdev and former Army chief General Vijay Kumar Singh were among demonstrators who clashed with Delhi Police at Jantar Mantar. Police claimed that peaceful protests had been "hijacked" by hooligans and political activists.
Similar protests have occurred throughout the country. More than 600 women belonging to various organisations demonstrated in Bangalore. Thousands of people silently marched in Kolkata.Protests have occurred online as well on the social networking sites Facebook and WhatsApp, with users replacing their profile images with a black dot symbol.Tens of thousands have signed an online petition protesting the incident.
The Delhi Police has been accused of using excessive force against the protestors, causing more outrage. The Hindustan Times reported that 375 tear gas canisters were used at India Gate and elsewhere in Delhi to disperse the crowds.
During a public protest, a policeman named Subhash Tomar collapsed and later died in hospital.Two witnesses claim that Tomar collapsed without being hit by any protesters, while a third disputes that. Hospital doctors and the post-mortem gave contradictory reports: he died due to cardiac arrest, but it is not known if the heart attack was caused by blunt-force injuries that he suffered to his chest and neck. Some experts state that his chest injuries may have been a side effect of the administration of CPR.
Following the death of the victim on December 29th, a call for a new protest on Sunday, 30 December at 5 pm, at the Vishwavidyalaya metro station has been made.
[edit]Government reaction to protests
Protesters believed the Indian government failed to act positively or give credible assurances to the protesters, and instead used police force to stop the protests, resorting to lathi-charging, pushing the media out of the scene and shutting down metro rail stations.Seven metro rail stations in New Delhi were closed on 22 December 2012 to discourage protesters from gathering at Raisina Hill. On 24 December 2012, police blocked roads leading to India Gate and Raisina Hill to prevent possible mass protests. Nine metro stations were closed on that day, affecting thousands of transit patrons. News reporters were not allowed to reach India Gate and Raisina Hill. In addition to CrPC section 144, which disallows assembly of groups larger than five, curfew was imposed near the presidential residence.
On 22 December 2012, a judicial committee headed by J. S. Verma, a former Chief Justice of India, was appointed by the Central government to submit a report, within 30 days, to suggest amendments to criminal law to sternly deal with sexual assault cases. The committee has urged the public in general and particularly eminent jurists, legal professionals, NGOs, women’s groups and civil society to share "their views, knowledge and experience suggesting possible amendments in the criminal and other relevant laws to provide for quicker investigation, prosecution, and trial, and also enhanced punishment for criminals accused of committing sexual assault of an extreme nature against women."
On 26 December 2012, a one-person commission of inquiry headed by a former Delhi High Court judge, Usha Mehra, was set up to identify lapses and determine responsibility in relation to the incident. It will also suggest measures to make Delhi and the widerNational Capital Region safer for women. The report is to be submitted within three months and will be tabled in Parliament along with action taken by the government.
[edit]Political parties
The following day, in the Indian parliament, strict punishment was demanded for the perpetrators. The Leader of the Opposition in theLok Sabha, Sushma Swaraj, stated: "The rapists should be hanged". Sonia Gandhi visited the Safdarjang Hospital and met doctors on duty in the anaesthesia and surgery departments for an update on the victim.Bahujan Samaj Party chief, Mayawati, said that proper investigation was mandated, and that "action should be so strict that no one should dare to act in such a manner again".Jaya Bachchan said that she was "terribly disturbed" over the incident, and felt "ashamed" sitting in the House, feeling "helpless" for "not being able to do anything".Meira Kumar, speaker of Lok Sabha, told reporters a "new law should be brought in and must get passed to ensure the safety of women." She went on to say: "The laws at present are not enough, we need stricter laws."
Sheila Dikshit, Chief Minister of Delhi, said that she did not have the courage to meet the victim and described Delhi as a "rape capital" in interviews.She said that senior police officials should be accountable for failure to take sufficient measures to stop such incidents. Five fast-track courts have been established to process the current cases.
[edit]Appeal by the prime minister
On 24 December 2012, in his first official reaction after the incident, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh appealed for calm, stressing that "violence will serve no purpose". In a televised address, he assured that all possible efforts would be made to ensure the safety of women in India. Singh expressed empathy, saying: "As a father of three daughters I feel as strongly about the incident as each one of you".
Controversy arose when, after delivering the written speech live on television, the Prime Minister was heard asking his staff theek hai?(is it all right?), while still on air. Social media flooded with satirical posts criticising the sign-off of the Prime Minister. The hashtag #TheekHai became the top trending term on Twitter in India for that day......
FINALLY .... I WOULD LIKE TO SAY FUCK THE SYSTEM YR .... CHANGE D GOVERNMENT
WE YOUTHS R D ONES WHO R ABLE TO CHANGE THIS SYSTEM ................
WE YOUTHS R D ONES WHO R ABLE TO CHANGE THIS SYSTEM ................
