|
New Delhi: The
23-year-old grievously injured gangrape victim was late Wednesday
night flown out of India for treatment in Singapore, even as the
government ordered a commission of enquiry to probe the horrific
Dec 16 incident and a controversy spiralled over the death of a
policeman in the violent street protests that erupted in the city.
The woman was shifted out of Safdarjung Hospital and flown in an
air ambulance to Singapore's Mt Elizabeth hospital which is
renowned for organ transplants, B.D. Athani, the medical
superintendent of Safdarjang Hospital, told reporters.
The decision was taken after her condition deteriorated, sources
said. Her parents are also accompanying her.
The young woman, who was admitted to the Safdarjung Hospital on
Dec 16, was operated upon thrice and had to have her small
intestine removed due to extensive injuries following the brutal
torture by the five men and a juvenile who raped her in a moving
bus.
Southern superstar Rajnikanth and former Samajwadi Party leader
Amar Singh had been treated in the premier Singapore hospital.
The condition of the victim remained critical even 10 days later,
and doctors said she was still on ventilator. On Tuesday she gave
a statement to a magistrate - for a second time following
complaints of alleged police interference the first time it was
recorded Dec 21.
The home ministry also ordered a probe into the circumstances in
which the first statement was recorded following a complaint by
Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit. Delhi Police chief Neeraj
Kumar denied charges that police had tried to influence the
magistrate.
Speaking after a cabinet meeting, Finance Minister P. Chidambaram
said the commission of enquiry would be headed by retired Delhi
High Court judge Usha Mehra. She would submit her report in three
months.
"The inquiry will reconstruct the whole incident, identify lapses
on the part of police or any other authority and fix
responsibility for such lapses and negligence," he said.
"The steps are being taken with the serious intent to find a
lasting solution to the problem (of rape) that plagues all metros
and other towns of India... That it's happening in Delhi is a
matter of shame," he said.
On the controversy surrounding the death of constable Subhash
Chand Tomar, Chidambaram said the matter was under investigation.
There have been claims and counter claims over the circumstances
leading to the death of Tomar. Two witnesses and a senior doctor
maintained that the 47-year-old collapsed on his own and was not
attacked by a mob -- as claimed by police.
Police quoted the post-mortem as saying that Tomar suffered
multiple injuries on his body.
Delhi Police say Tomar died after being badly beaten up near India
Gate during massive street protests Sunday demanding justice for
the gang-rape victim and tougher anti-rape laws.
"He was brought here in a total collapsed stage," Ram Manohar
Lohia Hospital Medical Superintendent T.S. Sidhu told the media.
"He had already suffered a cardiac arrest and had almost no
pulse."
Two witnesses appeared on television to say Tomar collapsed while
running.
Yogendra, a young man who claimed he saw the policeman fall, said
Tomar collapsed while chasing the protesters on a street leading
to India Gate.
"He wasn't assaulted or trampled," he said. "He fell on his own
while chasing the crowd. In fact many protesters came to help
him."
Pauline, who was present when Tomar collapsed and went to his aid,
said "there were no visible injuries" on the constable.
Police waved the post-mortem report that said Tomar had suffered
multiple injuries on the neck and chest.
"The cardiac arrest was precipitated by injuries to his body
parts," Additional Commissioner of Police K.C. Dwivedi told
reporters.
Delhi Police has shifted the probe into Tomar's death to the Crime
Branch. Police arrested eight people Sunday night for the alleged
attack on Tomar but they were granted bail the next day.
Chidambaram ruled out removing Delhi Police chief Neeraj Kumar,
who has come under flak for the police crackdown on anti-rape
protesters which had sparked widespread anger.
The minister said it would be "inappropriate" to axe Kumar "at
this stage".
"I think the commissioner has ... apologized for any lapses that
may have hurt any innocent person," the minister said.
|
Comments
|
Quick links