Delhi gang rape victim dies in Singapore hospital

SINGAPORE: The 23-year-old girl, who put up a brave battle for life after she was gang-raped and brutally assaulted in a Delhi bus a fortnight ago that had created a nationwide outrage, died early on Saturday morning in a hospital here. The girl, was admitted to the well-known multi-organ transplant facility Mount Elizabeth Hospital here on Thursday morning in an extremely critical condition, breathed her last at 4:45am (2:15am India time). She was earlier treated at the Safdarjung Hospital in Delhi. "We are very sad to report that the patient passed away peacefully at 4.45am on 29 Dec 2012 (Singapore time)," the hospital's chief executive officer Dr Kelvin Loh said in a statement. "Her family and officials from the High Commission of India were by her side. The Mount Elizabeth Hospital team of doctors, nurses and staff join her family in mourning her loss," the statement said. The body has been moved to the mortuary in the Singapore General Hospital for completion of some formalities since she is a foreigner, sources said. The family of the girl wants the body to be taken to India, Indian High Commissioner T C A Raghavan told reporters. He said the girl, who was conscious, fought a brave battle till the end. She was brought to Singapore for being provided good medical treatment. "The family is shattered by this development. At the same time, they realised that best possible medical attention was given. And in the end it was the scale of injuries that proved too much for the medical attention provided to her," the envoy said. He said the final few hours was a trying time for the girl's family and they bore the entire process with a great deal of fortitude and courage. Raghavan said the family has requested that their privacy be respected in their hour of grief. The girl, accompanied by her parents, was was flown in an air ambulance in a critical condition on Wednesday night after her health had suffered a setback that morning in the Delhi hospital following a government decision over which experts were divided. The six-hour journey itself was said to have been eventful with her blood pressure having dipped alarmingly. The patient had remained in an extremely critical condition since admission to hospital in the morning of December 27 (Singapore time), the Mount Elizabeth hospital statement said. "Despite all efforts by a team of eight specialists in Mount Elizabeth Hospital to keep her stable, her condition continued to deteriorate over these two days." The hospital statement said "She had suffered from severe organ failure following serious injuries to her body and brain. She was courageous in fighting for her life for so long against the odds but the trauma to her body was too severe for her to overcome." "We are humbled by the privilege of being tasked to care for her in her final struggle. We acknowledge the faith the Indian government and the patient's family have placed with us to ensure the best care possible was indeed provided to her at Mount Elizabeth Hospital," it said. "We share their huge sadness at her passing and will work with the High Commission of India to provide the family support in this time of grief," said Dr Loh. Late last night, the hospital said the condition of the rape victim had taken a "turn for the worse". "As of 9pm (6:30pm IST), the patient's condition has taken a turn for the worse. Her vital signs are deteriorating with signs of severe organ failure," Loh had said in a statement. "This is despite doctors fighting for her life including putting her on maximum artificial ventilation support, optimal antibiotic doses as well as stimulants which maximise her body's capability to fight infections," the CEO had said. During her treatment in Safdarjung Hospital, the girl's condition had recorded several ups and downs. Three days after the attack, her gangrenous intestine was removed. The bestial attack on the girl and her male friend in the bus had sparked off protests by students and women activists which took a violent turn in the capital last Saturday and Sunday. Death for rapists was one of the demands of the protesters and the victim's demise could trigger fresh display of emotions on the streets. One of the Delhi police constables Subhash Chand Tomar died in a government hospital on Tuesday and the post-mortem report had said that he had suffered a cardiac arrest from complications arising out of injuries on his chest and neck. Shaken by the public outrage, government constituted a Commission of Inquiry into the incident and also set up a three-member Committee under former Supreme Court Chief Justice A S Anand to look into the possibility of rewriting the laws relating to aggravated sexual assault and enhancing penalty for it. Congress president Sonia Gandhi had on Friday demanded speedy action against the perpetrators of the "barbarous" attack while Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said the government was committed to bringing the guilty to justice as soon as possible.

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Delhi gang rape victim dies in Singapore hospital

SINGAPORE: The 23-year-old girl, who put up a brave battle for life after she was gang-raped and brutally assaulted in a Delhi bus a fortnight ago that had created a nationwide outrage, died early on Saturday morning in a hospital here. The girl, was admitted to the well-known multi-organ transplant facility Mount Elizabeth Hospital here on Thursday morning in an extremely critical condition, breathed her last at 4:45am (2:15am India time). She was earlier treated at the Safdarjung Hospital in Delhi. "We are very sad to report that the patient passed away peacefully at 4.45am on 29 Dec 2012 (Singapore time)," the hospital's chief executive officer Dr Kelvin Loh said in a statement. "Her family and officials from the High Commission of India were by her side. The Mount Elizabeth Hospital team of doctors, nurses and staff join her family in mourning her loss," the statement said. The body has been moved to the mortuary in the Singapore General Hospital for completion of some formalities since she is a foreigner, sources said. The family of the girl wants the body to be taken to India, Indian High Commissioner T C A Raghavan told reporters. He said the girl, who was conscious, fought a brave battle till the end. She was brought to Singapore for being provided good medical treatment. "The family is shattered by this development. At the same time, they realised that best possible medical attention was given. And in the end it was the scale of injuries that proved too much for the medical attention provided to her," the envoy said. He said the final few hours was a trying time for the girl's family and they bore the entire process with a great deal of fortitude and courage. Raghavan said the family has requested that their privacy be respected in their hour of grief. The girl, accompanied by her parents, was was flown in an air ambulance in a critical condition on Wednesday night after her health had suffered a setback that morning in the Delhi hospital following a government decision over which experts were divided. The six-hour journey itself was said to have been eventful with her blood pressure having dipped alarmingly. The patient had remained in an extremely critical condition since admission to hospital in the morning of December 27 (Singapore time), the Mount Elizabeth hospital statement said. "Despite all efforts by a team of eight specialists in Mount Elizabeth Hospital to keep her stable, her condition continued to deteriorate over these two days." The hospital statement said "She had suffered from severe organ failure following serious injuries to her body and brain. She was courageous in fighting for her life for so long against the odds but the trauma to her body was too severe for her to overcome." "We are humbled by the privilege of being tasked to care for her in her final struggle. We acknowledge the faith the Indian government and the patient's family have placed with us to ensure the best care possible was indeed provided to her at Mount Elizabeth Hospital," it said. "We share their huge sadness at her passing and will work with the High Commission of India to provide the family support in this time of grief," said Dr Loh. Late last night, the hospital said the condition of the rape victim had taken a "turn for the worse". "As of 9pm (6:30pm IST), the patient's condition has taken a turn for the worse. Her vital signs are deteriorating with signs of severe organ failure," Loh had said in a statement. "This is despite doctors fighting for her life including putting her on maximum artificial ventilation support, optimal antibiotic doses as well as stimulants which maximise her body's capability to fight infections," the CEO had said. During her treatment in Safdarjung Hospital, the girl's condition had recorded several ups and downs. Three days after the attack, her gangrenous intestine was removed. The bestial attack on the girl and her male friend in the bus had sparked off protests by students and women activists which took a violent turn in the capital last Saturday and Sunday. Death for rapists was one of the demands of the protesters and the victim's demise could trigger fresh display of emotions on the streets. One of the Delhi police constables Subhash Chand Tomar died in a government hospital on Tuesday and the post-mortem report had said that he had suffered a cardiac arrest from complications arising out of injuries on his chest and neck. Shaken by the public outrage, government constituted a Commission of Inquiry into the incident and also set up a three-member Committee under former Supreme Court Chief Justice A S Anand to look into the possibility of rewriting the laws relating to aggravated sexual assault and enhancing penalty for it. Congress president Sonia Gandhi had on Friday demanded speedy action against the perpetrators of the "barbarous" attack while Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said the government was committed to bringing the guilty to justice as soon as possible.

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PM condoles Delhi gang-rape victim’s death

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Saturday condoled the death of the Delhi gang-rape victim and expressed the hope that the entire political class and civil society will set aside narrow sectional interests and agenda to make India a demonstrably safer place to live in. He said it would be a true homage to her memory if the emotions and energies of the youth generated by the brutal assault on her are channelised into a constructive course of action. Deeply saddened by the death of the girl, he joined the nation in conveying to her family and friends his deepest condolences at this terrible loss. “I want to tell them and the nation that while she may have lost her battle for life, it is up to us all to ensure that her death will not have been in vain. We have already seen the emotions and energies this incident has generated. These are perfectly understandable reactions from a young India and an India that genuinely desires change. It would be a true homage to her memory if we are able to channelise these emotions and energies into a constructive course of action,” he said in his condolence message. He said the need of the hour is a dispassionate debate and inquiry into the critical changes that are required in societal attitudes. Government,  Singh said, was examining on priority basis the penal provisions that exist for such crimes and measures to enhance the safety and security of women. “I hope that the entire political class and civil society will set aside narrow sectional interests and agenda to help us all reach the end that we all desire making India a demonstrably better and safe place for women to live in,” Singh said in his condolence message. The Prime Minister said he prays for the peace of the departed soul and hoped that her family will have the strength to bear this grievous loss.

PM condoles Delhi gang-rape victim’s death

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Saturday condoled the death of the Delhi gang-rape victim and expressed the hope that the entire political class and civil society will set aside narrow sectional interests and agenda to make India a demonstrably safer place to live in. He said it would be a true homage to her memory if the emotions and energies of the youth generated by the brutal assault on her are channelised into a constructive course of action. Deeply saddened by the death of the girl, he joined the nation in conveying to her family and friends his deepest condolences at this terrible loss. “I want to tell them and the nation that while she may have lost her battle for life, it is up to us all to ensure that her death will not have been in vain. We have already seen the emotions and energies this incident has generated. These are perfectly understandable reactions from a young India and an India that genuinely desires change. It would be a true homage to her memory if we are able to channelise these emotions and energies into a constructive course of action,” he said in his condolence message. He said the need of the hour is a dispassionate debate and inquiry into the critical changes that are required in societal attitudes. Government,  Singh said, was examining on priority basis the penal provisions that exist for such crimes and measures to enhance the safety and security of women. “I hope that the entire political class and civil society will set aside narrow sectional interests and agenda to help us all reach the end that we all desire making India a demonstrably better and safe place for women to live in,” Singh said in his condolence message. The Prime Minister said he prays for the peace of the departed soul and hoped that her family will have the strength to bear this grievous loss.

Police identify NY subway victim as 46-year old Indian

NEW YORK: The 46-year old man who was pushed to his death in front of a subway train here by a "mumbling" woman has been identified as Sunando Sen, an Indian who lived in the city's Queens neighbourhood. Sen was killed after the woman shoved him on to the tracks of an oncoming train in a Queens subway station late Thursday night. The incident was the second time this month that a person was pushed on to the subway tracks by a fellow commuter. New York Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly said the police is still searching for the female suspect, who raced down two flights of stairs after the attack and disappeared into a crowd on the street. Sen had opened a small copying and printing business this year in the city's Upper West Side. He was hit by the first car of the train and his body was pinned under the second car before the 11-car train came to a stop. The condition of Sen's body had made it difficult for the police to identify him and investigators used his phone and a medicine bottle he was carrying for his identification. Police said his family in India has been notified. According to Sen's roommates, he was not married and his parents were dead. A R Suman, one of the four roommates with whom Sen had shared a small apartment, described him as a "very educated person and quite nice". "It is unbelievable. He never had a problem with anyone," Suman said in a New York Times report. There was no video at the subway station and the New York Police Department released a surveillance video from near the station showing the suspect running away from the scene. The woman has been described as a 5 feet 5 inch tall Hispanic in her 20s wearing a blue, white and gray jacket and sneakers. New York Police Department chief spokesman Paul Browne said according to witnesses, the woman had been following Sen closely and was mumbling to herself. Suman said Sen had toiled hard to save money to open his printing business and hardly took a day off from work. "I asked him why you work seven days a week." Suman said. "He told me, 'I cannot hire someone because business is not good'". Sen's roommates said they could not think of any reason as to why the woman pushed him onto the tracks. They said Sen had suffered a heart attack about nine months ago and was taking medication. "This guy was so quiet, so gentle, so nice," another of Sen's roommate M D Khan, a taxi driver, said. "It's so broken, my heart," he said adding Sen enjoyed watching funny clips on YouTube and would listen to classical Indian music. Meanwhile, witnesses said Sen was looking out over the tracks and the woman was sitting on a wooden bench near the wall behind him. He had his back towards her and was not aware that she was approaching him. As the train pulled into the tracks, the woman got up from the bench and pushed Sen over. Browne said according to witnesses, the attack happened so quickly that Sen had little time to react and neither could the bystanders do anything to save him. "There's one witness who was sitting on the bench with the woman, the perpetrator here," he said. "And there are other witnesses who were on the platform itself. So we're in the process of gathering information". The shocking incident comes just weeks after 58-year-old Ki-Suck Han was pushed in front of a subway train in Times Square by 30-year-old homeless man Naeem Davis. New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg said such attacks were exceedingly rare and there is little that can be done to prevent such incidents. "I don't know that there is a way to prevent things," Bloomberg said. "There is always going to be somebody, a deranged person". He said such incidents were tragic for the families of the victims. "You can say it's only two out of the three or four million people who ride the subway every day, but two is two too many," he told reporters. "We do live in a world where our subway platforms are open, and that's not going to change," he added. Through posters pasted on the subway walls, New York authorities have tried to caution commuters about safety on subway platforms. They adviseD people to stand away from the edge of the platform and that they should never cross the tracks to get to the other side of the station. The trains and the platform are not separated by any barriers. In 2011, 146 people were struck by New York subway trains, of which 47 died, according to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. The city's subway system is more than a 100 years old and is one of the world's busiest, ferrying millions of commuters daily.

Police identify NY subway victim as 46-year old Indian

NEW YORK: The 46-year old man who was pushed to his death in front of a subway train here by a "mumbling" woman has been identified as Sunando Sen, an Indian who lived in the city's Queens neighbourhood. Sen was killed after the woman shoved him on to the tracks of an oncoming train in a Queens subway station late Thursday night. The incident was the second time this month that a person was pushed on to the subway tracks by a fellow commuter. New York Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly said the police is still searching for the female suspect, who raced down two flights of stairs after the attack and disappeared into a crowd on the street. Sen had opened a small copying and printing business this year in the city's Upper West Side. He was hit by the first car of the train and his body was pinned under the second car before the 11-car train came to a stop. The condition of Sen's body had made it difficult for the police to identify him and investigators used his phone and a medicine bottle he was carrying for his identification. Police said his family in India has been notified. According to Sen's roommates, he was not married and his parents were dead. A R Suman, one of the four roommates with whom Sen had shared a small apartment, described him as a "very educated person and quite nice". "It is unbelievable. He never had a problem with anyone," Suman said in a New York Times report. There was no video at the subway station and the New York Police Department released a surveillance video from near the station showing the suspect running away from the scene. The woman has been described as a 5 feet 5 inch tall Hispanic in her 20s wearing a blue, white and gray jacket and sneakers. New York Police Department chief spokesman Paul Browne said according to witnesses, the woman had been following Sen closely and was mumbling to herself. Suman said Sen had toiled hard to save money to open his printing business and hardly took a day off from work. "I asked him why you work seven days a week." Suman said. "He told me, 'I cannot hire someone because business is not good'". Sen's roommates said they could not think of any reason as to why the woman pushed him onto the tracks. They said Sen had suffered a heart attack about nine months ago and was taking medication. "This guy was so quiet, so gentle, so nice," another of Sen's roommate M D Khan, a taxi driver, said. "It's so broken, my heart," he said adding Sen enjoyed watching funny clips on YouTube and would listen to classical Indian music. Meanwhile, witnesses said Sen was looking out over the tracks and the woman was sitting on a wooden bench near the wall behind him. He had his back towards her and was not aware that she was approaching him. As the train pulled into the tracks, the woman got up from the bench and pushed Sen over. Browne said according to witnesses, the attack happened so quickly that Sen had little time to react and neither could the bystanders do anything to save him. "There's one witness who was sitting on the bench with the woman, the perpetrator here," he said. "And there are other witnesses who were on the platform itself. So we're in the process of gathering information". The shocking incident comes just weeks after 58-year-old Ki-Suck Han was pushed in front of a subway train in Times Square by 30-year-old homeless man Naeem Davis. New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg said such attacks were exceedingly rare and there is little that can be done to prevent such incidents. "I don't know that there is a way to prevent things," Bloomberg said. "There is always going to be somebody, a deranged person". He said such incidents were tragic for the families of the victims. "You can say it's only two out of the three or four million people who ride the subway every day, but two is two too many," he told reporters. "We do live in a world where our subway platforms are open, and that's not going to change," he added. Through posters pasted on the subway walls, New York authorities have tried to caution commuters about safety on subway platforms. They adviseD people to stand away from the edge of the platform and that they should never cross the tracks to get to the other side of the station. The trains and the platform are not separated by any barriers. In 2011, 146 people were struck by New York subway trains, of which 47 died, according to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. The city's subway system is more than a 100 years old and is one of the world's busiest, ferrying millions of commuters daily.

Tourism should aim for 12 percent growth: White Paper

New Delhi: The tourism sector should aim at a substantially higher growth rate of at least 12 percent during the 12th Five Year Plan (2012-17) to cushion against any shortfall in other sectors. It should also adopt a 'pro-poor' policy so that the benefits trickle down to the grassroots, a White Paper released by the government
Thursday said.

Contexting the projections, the paper said: 'The annual growth rate of the tourism sector is estimated to be 8.1 percent during the last five years, which is marginally higher than the economic growth rate of 7.9 per cent expected to be achieved during the 11th Five Year Plan (2007-12),' the paper said.

The tourism sector is expected to grow by 8.8 per cent during the 2011-2021 period.

In comparison, the 12th Plan envisages a 4 percent growth rate in the agricultural sector, 8 percent in the manufacturing sector and 9.1 per cent in the services sector.

Projections by the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) say India has the highest growth potential over a 10-year period between 2009 and 2018. But the expected growth rate in the tourism sector is inadequate both in terms of contribution to the overall economic growth and its potential. The 12th Plan must target a significant improvement, the paper said.

The 12th Plan must evolve a strategy based on promotion of tourism infrastucture, developing programmes for marketing, social awareness campaigns, building capacity of service providers in the tourism sector and enhance India's competitiveness as a tourism destination.

Citing figures, the paper said the tourism sector had registered an annual growth rate of 2.04 percent during the six-year period of 2004-05 to 2010-11.

However, India's global ranking in respect of 'Effectiveness of Marketing and Branding' declined from 59 to 2006 to 63 in 2010, necessitating more vigorous marketing.

The paper said the government should adopt a 'pro-poor' tourism approach to bring net benefit to the poor through tourism activities to eliminate poverty by redistributing resources.

Using the responsible tourism model of Kumarakom in Kerala, where grassroots self-help groups of women have been feeding the tourism supply and manufacturing chain as providers, the paper said the means to achieve this goal was to expand the opportunities for them through capacity building and transfer of skills in close cooperation with education, training and micro-finance institutions.

'Pro-poor tourism has a holistic notion of poverty alleviation. Non-economic benefits are as important as economic gains. As improved management approach of the tourism industry cane provide new skills, better access to education and healthcare, access to information and opportunities to communicate, it can prove to be the proverbial engine
for growth in India,' the paper said.

Tourism should aim for 12 percent growth: White Paper

New Delhi: The tourism sector should aim at a substantially higher growth rate of at least 12 percent during the 12th Five Year Plan (2012-17) to cushion against any shortfall in other sectors. It should also adopt a 'pro-poor' policy so that the benefits trickle down to the grassroots, a White Paper released by the government
Thursday said.

Contexting the projections, the paper said: 'The annual growth rate of the tourism sector is estimated to be 8.1 percent during the last five years, which is marginally higher than the economic growth rate of 7.9 per cent expected to be achieved during the 11th Five Year Plan (2007-12),' the paper said.

The tourism sector is expected to grow by 8.8 per cent during the 2011-2021 period.

In comparison, the 12th Plan envisages a 4 percent growth rate in the agricultural sector, 8 percent in the manufacturing sector and 9.1 per cent in the services sector.

Projections by the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) say India has the highest growth potential over a 10-year period between 2009 and 2018. But the expected growth rate in the tourism sector is inadequate both in terms of contribution to the overall economic growth and its potential. The 12th Plan must target a significant improvement, the paper said.

The 12th Plan must evolve a strategy based on promotion of tourism infrastucture, developing programmes for marketing, social awareness campaigns, building capacity of service providers in the tourism sector and enhance India's competitiveness as a tourism destination.

Citing figures, the paper said the tourism sector had registered an annual growth rate of 2.04 percent during the six-year period of 2004-05 to 2010-11.

However, India's global ranking in respect of 'Effectiveness of Marketing and Branding' declined from 59 to 2006 to 63 in 2010, necessitating more vigorous marketing.

The paper said the government should adopt a 'pro-poor' tourism approach to bring net benefit to the poor through tourism activities to eliminate poverty by redistributing resources.

Using the responsible tourism model of Kumarakom in Kerala, where grassroots self-help groups of women have been feeding the tourism supply and manufacturing chain as providers, the paper said the means to achieve this goal was to expand the opportunities for them through capacity building and transfer of skills in close cooperation with education, training and micro-finance institutions.

'Pro-poor tourism has a holistic notion of poverty alleviation. Non-economic benefits are as important as economic gains. As improved management approach of the tourism industry cane provide new skills, better access to education and healthcare, access to information and opportunities to communicate, it can prove to be the proverbial engine
for growth in India,' the paper said.

Ahmadinejad sacks health minister

Tehran:Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has sacked Health and Medical Education Minister Marzieh Vahid-Dastjerdi, the first woman minister in the Islamic Reublic, Xinhua reported.

Vahid-Dastjerdi, who became an Iranian minister in September 2009, has been replaced by Mohammad-Hassan Tariqat-Monfared, who has been appointed the acting minister of health in a decree by Ahmadinejad. 

According to semi-official Mehr news agency, the conflicts with Vahid-Dastjerdi started after some governmental officials, probably including the Iranian president, urged her to fire the chief of Tehran Medical Science University. But she refused to comply.

Also, she recently criticised the government for not allocating enough foreign currency for the imports of medicine, a claim Ahmadinejad rejected. 

Ahmadinejad sacks health minister

Tehran:Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has sacked Health and Medical Education Minister Marzieh Vahid-Dastjerdi, the first woman minister in the Islamic Reublic, Xinhua reported.

Vahid-Dastjerdi, who became an Iranian minister in September 2009, has been replaced by Mohammad-Hassan Tariqat-Monfared, who has been appointed the acting minister of health in a decree by Ahmadinejad. 

According to semi-official Mehr news agency, the conflicts with Vahid-Dastjerdi started after some governmental officials, probably including the Iranian president, urged her to fire the chief of Tehran Medical Science University. But she refused to comply.

Also, she recently criticised the government for not allocating enough foreign currency for the imports of medicine, a claim Ahmadinejad rejected. 

Gang-rape victim extremely critical, has brain injury and infection in lungs

Singapore: The 23-year-old Delhi gang-rape victim has significant brain injury, infection in lungs and abdomen and she is currently struggling against all odds at Mount Elizabeth Hospital where her condition continues to be 'extremely critical', the hospital said today. 'Our medical team's investigations upon her arrival at the hospital yesterday showed that in addition to her prior cardiac arrest, she also had infection of her lungs and abdomen, as well as significant brain injury,' said Dr Kelvin

Loh, Chief Executive Officer, Mount Elizabeth Hospital. In a statement, Dr Loh said, 'The patient is currently struggling against the odds, and fighting for her life.' Briefing reporters here on girl's condition, Loh said, 'As at 28 December, 11am (8:30 IST) the patient continues to remain in an extremely critical condition.' 

The girl, who was gang-raped and brutally assaulted in a moving bus on December 16, was brought here in an air ambulance yesterday and admitted to the Intensive Care Unit. She had undergone three surgeries at the Safdarjung Hospital in Delhi, where she remained on ventilator support during most part of the treatment. Doctors removed major part of her intestines which had become gangrenous. 'A multi-disciplinary team of specialists has been working tirelessly to treat her since her arrival, and is doing everything possible to stabilise her condition over the next few days,' Dr Loh said.

The High Commission of India has been fully supportive in helping the hospital and her family, and ensuring that the best care is made available,' he added. The security was tightened at the hospital, favoured bywell-heeled patients, with each visitor screened before being allowed into the ICU.She had undergone three surgeries at the Safdarjung Hospital in Delhi, where she remained on ventilator support during most part of the treatment. Doctors removed major part of her intestines which had become gangrenous. 'A multi-disciplinary team of specialists has been working tirelessly to treat her since her arrival, and is doing everything possible to stabilise her condition over the next few days,' Dr Loh said.


The security was tightened at the hospital, favoured by well-heeled patients, with each visitor screened before being allowed into the ICU.In Delhi, Congress chief Sonia Gandhi stressed that no time should be lost in bringing the perpetrators of such barbarous act to justice. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh assured that those found guilty of lapses in the aftermath of the incident will not be spared. 'We are committed to bringing the guilty to justice as soon as possible,' Singh said, adding that best possible medical care was being provided to the victim. The victim's father, who flew in with her, said he was
reassured that the best is being done for his daughter. The girl's family members do not speak English and rely on interpreters to communicate with hospital staff, the Strait Times newspaper reported. The High Commission of India has assigned a liaison officer with the family. PTI

Gang-rape victim extremely critical, has brain injury and infection in lungs

Singapore: The 23-year-old Delhi gang-rape victim has significant brain injury, infection in lungs and abdomen and she is currently struggling against all odds at Mount Elizabeth Hospital where her condition continues to be 'extremely critical', the hospital said today. 'Our medical team's investigations upon her arrival at the hospital yesterday showed that in addition to her prior cardiac arrest, she also had infection of her lungs and abdomen, as well as significant brain injury,' said Dr Kelvin

Loh, Chief Executive Officer, Mount Elizabeth Hospital. In a statement, Dr Loh said, 'The patient is currently struggling against the odds, and fighting for her life.' Briefing reporters here on girl's condition, Loh said, 'As at 28 December, 11am (8:30 IST) the patient continues to remain in an extremely critical condition.' 

The girl, who was gang-raped and brutally assaulted in a moving bus on December 16, was brought here in an air ambulance yesterday and admitted to the Intensive Care Unit. She had undergone three surgeries at the Safdarjung Hospital in Delhi, where she remained on ventilator support during most part of the treatment. Doctors removed major part of her intestines which had become gangrenous. 'A multi-disciplinary team of specialists has been working tirelessly to treat her since her arrival, and is doing everything possible to stabilise her condition over the next few days,' Dr Loh said.

The High Commission of India has been fully supportive in helping the hospital and her family, and ensuring that the best care is made available,' he added. The security was tightened at the hospital, favoured bywell-heeled patients, with each visitor screened before being allowed into the ICU.She had undergone three surgeries at the Safdarjung Hospital in Delhi, where she remained on ventilator support during most part of the treatment. Doctors removed major part of her intestines which had become gangrenous. 'A multi-disciplinary team of specialists has been working tirelessly to treat her since her arrival, and is doing everything possible to stabilise her condition over the next few days,' Dr Loh said.


The security was tightened at the hospital, favoured by well-heeled patients, with each visitor screened before being allowed into the ICU.In Delhi, Congress chief Sonia Gandhi stressed that no time should be lost in bringing the perpetrators of such barbarous act to justice. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh assured that those found guilty of lapses in the aftermath of the incident will not be spared. 'We are committed to bringing the guilty to justice as soon as possible,' Singh said, adding that best possible medical care was being provided to the victim. The victim's father, who flew in with her, said he was
reassured that the best is being done for his daughter. The girl's family members do not speak English and rely on interpreters to communicate with hospital staff, the Strait Times newspaper reported. The High Commission of India has assigned a liaison officer with the family. PTI

Panchayat president dies in accident

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KILIMANOOR: N C George (49) grama panchayat president of Mariyapuram, Idukki, was killed after the Bolero jeep in which he was travelling hit a tipper lorry near Karet Junction on the M C Road. Panchayat member Santhosh (35) and driver Shaji have been seriously injured. Shaji has been admitted at the medical college hospital in the capital city and Santhosh at Gokulam Medical College Hospital in Venjaramoodu. The incident happened early Friday morning at 2 am. The vehicle Bolero belonging to the panchayat struck the tipper going to the capital city from behind. Even though the seriously injured George was taken to Gokulam Medical College Hospital, his life could not be saved.

Panchayat president dies in accident

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KILIMANOOR: N C George (49) grama panchayat president of Mariyapuram, Idukki, was killed after the Bolero jeep in which he was travelling hit a tipper lorry near Karet Junction on the M C Road. Panchayat member Santhosh (35) and driver Shaji have been seriously injured. Shaji has been admitted at the medical college hospital in the capital city and Santhosh at Gokulam Medical College Hospital in Venjaramoodu. The incident happened early Friday morning at 2 am. The vehicle Bolero belonging to the panchayat struck the tipper going to the capital city from behind. Even though the seriously injured George was taken to Gokulam Medical College Hospital, his life could not be saved.

Shoba John taken into custody

KOCHI: The police have taken into custody Shoba John, an accused in Varappuzha sex scandal case, from her flat in Kochi. The police took her into custody as she was missing after released on bail.

The police were in search of her in connection with the sex racket busted in Kozhikode.

Shoba John taken into custody

KOCHI: The police have taken into custody Shoba John, an accused in Varappuzha sex scandal case, from her flat in Kochi. The police took her into custody as she was missing after released on bail.

The police were in search of her in connection with the sex racket busted in Kozhikode.

Eight k illed as car collides with bus in Nilamel

 KOLLAM: Eight people died when the car in which they were travelling collided with a state-owned KSRTC bus at Nilamel at 0630 hrs Friday.

Police said the victims were identified as Ajith Kumar (31), his wife Sunisha (30), their son Unnikuttan (6), Vijayamma (70), Rukmini Amma (33), Neethu (15), Usha (50) and driver Manish (40). The passengers in the car were returning from Mookambia after Darshan.

The victims were related and belonged to Bharathannur in Thiruvananthapuram district.

Twelve people, most of them passengers of the bus, were injured in the accident and admitted to hospital.

The bodies of the victims were extricated from the mangled car by police and local people

.

Eight k illed as car collides with bus in Nilamel

 KOLLAM: Eight people died when the car in which they were travelling collided with a state-owned KSRTC bus at Nilamel at 0630 hrs Friday.

Police said the victims were identified as Ajith Kumar (31), his wife Sunisha (30), their son Unnikuttan (6), Vijayamma (70), Rukmini Amma (33), Neethu (15), Usha (50) and driver Manish (40). The passengers in the car were returning from Mookambia after Darshan.

The victims were related and belonged to Bharathannur in Thiruvananthapuram district.

Twelve people, most of them passengers of the bus, were injured in the accident and admitted to hospital.

The bodies of the victims were extricated from the mangled car by police and local people

.

Govt orders employees to wear Khadi on Wednesdays

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The State government has directed all the government employees and teachers in Kerala to wear Khadi-Handloom apparels on Wednesdays.

The order will come into effect from January 1 onwards. An order regarding this by minister C.N. Balakrishnan was approved by Chief Minister Oommen Chandy.

The previous government had directed, in vain, to wear Khadi-Handloom apparels on Saturdays.

The move is a part of the effort to involve employees and teachers in the protection of the Khadi-Handloom sector

Govt orders employees to wear Khadi on Wednesdays

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The State government has directed all the government employees and teachers in Kerala to wear Khadi-Handloom apparels on Wednesdays.

The order will come into effect from January 1 onwards. An order regarding this by minister C.N. Balakrishnan was approved by Chief Minister Oommen Chandy.

The previous government had directed, in vain, to wear Khadi-Handloom apparels on Saturdays.

The move is a part of the effort to involve employees and teachers in the protection of the Khadi-Handloom sector