Delhi gang rape: Victim continues to be critical, doctors say
Posted on: 23 Dec 2012
NEW DELHI: The condition of the 23-year-old girl, who was gang raped in a moving bus last Sunday, continues to be critical and doctors are subjecting her to various tests today.'We are subjecting her to all examinations and procedures. She continues to be critical,' Dr B D Athani, medical superintendent of Safdarjung Hospital, told PTI.
Doctors had said yesterday that the rape victim is psychologically 'composed and optimistic' about her future and has started communicating.
Doctors had also said they are keeping the patient on high doses of antibiotics and high standards of hygiene - two important factors for preventing infection.
Police evacuate protesters; clamp prohibitory orders
New Delhi : Police today evacuated a number of protesters from Raisina Hill and outside Congress chief Sonia Gandhi's residence where they had stayed put since last night to protest against the gang-rape of a 23-year-old girl.
Clamping down prohibitory orders in New Delhi district, police today asked youths protesting against the gang rape of a young girl to stage demonstrations either at Jantar Mantar or Ramlila Maidan.
The protesters, most of them students who spent a chilly night in the open after they fought pitched battles with
police throughout the day yesterday at Raisina Hill, were taken into a bus by police in an early morning operation.
Around 6:30 AM, police suddenly moved in buses into the area, made announcements about clamping Section 144 of CrPC
prohibiting assembly of more than four persons in the area and herded the protesters into the buses.
Most of the around 50 protesters at Raisina Hill could not do much as dense fog had hampered visibility. Protesters
shouted slogans inside the bus.
Outside Gandhi's residence also, protesters were taken into a bus.
Police have been deployed in abundance in Raisina Hill and India Gate anticipating protests throughout the day today
being a Sunday.
In a surprise move late last night, Gandhi had came out of her residence and met protesters.
According to a protester, Gandhi told them 'I am with you. I can't tell when the justice will be delivered, but surely it will be. We will do something.'
The protesters when asked for a deadline, she said, 'I can't give you a deadline but action will be taken.' The detentions came as part of a police plan to contain protests near Raisina Hill, the seat of power.
Six metro stations near India Gate and Raisina Hill have already been closed from this morning till further orders. The
stations which remained closed were Patel Chowk, Central Secretariat, Udyog Bhavan, Race Course, Barakhamba and Mandi
House.
Refusing to relent, the small group of protesters braved cold and fog to spend the night at the Raisina Hill raising
vociferous slogans and stood, some with candles in solidarity with the 23-year-old girl battling for her life.
The protesters who started gathering after 11 PM, consisted of mostly young men and women, some accompanied by
their parents, middle-aged persons, among others.
'I'm going to spend the whole night here in her support. I, myself have been a victim of harassment by an old man no
less. I don't feel safe in the city and therefore I always carry a knife around with me,' a graphic designer, who had
come from Govindpuri area in South Delhi, told PTI.
Couple Seema and Suresh who couldn't answer their 6-year-old daughter when she had asked as to what 'darindgi'
or devilishness meant, decided to land here and lend full support to the cause.
'My 6-year-old daughter after watching TV asked me-'Mommy, what does 'darindgi' mean?'- I did not know how or
what to answer,' mother Seema said.
Amidst biting weather and misty air, logs of wood and day-time banners served as fuel for the bonfire as protesters
sat in circles trying to warm themselves up while shouting 'We want justice' and other slogans, as others soon joined the
chorus.
Diwakar, a professional, came along with his five other friends from Gurgaon. 'One of our friends just landed in Delhi
from Lucknow and he also decided to join us here. Cold night, what cold night?
'This is nothing compared to what pains the girl went through. My heart weeps for her and I just wanted to be here
for her,' Diwakar said.
The main entrance to the Rashtrapti Bhavan and the North-South Blocks remained cordoned off as 500-odd security
personnel continued to guard the heavily barricaded entrance which the protesters had attempted to storm several times
during the day time clashes with the police.
As some protesters left at about 2 AM, another group of youngsters from Janakpuri streamed in.
They were asked whether their parents allowed them to come? 'Allowed, of course they did. We also have sisters and
daughters in our family. We want the society to be safer from them and don't want any repeat of this heinous act,' the boys
from Jankpuri said. PTI
