Indian victim of gang rape dies

Associated Press

SINGAPORE

A young Indian woman who was gang-raped and severely beaten on a bus died today 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 vital signs had deteriorated.

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.

Indian police have arrested six people in the attack.

The frightening nature of the crime shocked Indians, who have come out in the thousands for almost daily demonstrations.

The tragedy has forced India to confront the reality that sexually assaulted women often are blamed for the crime, which forces them to keep quiet and not report it to authorities for fear of exposing their families to ridicule.