Delhi gangrape survivor suffers brain injury; Sonia calls for justice

New Delhi: As the nation prays for the 23-year-old Delhi gangrape survivor, doctors treating her at Mount Elizabeth Hospital in Singapore say she continues to remain extremely critical. She is battling an infection in the lungs and abdomen as well as an injury to the brain in addition to the cardiac arrest two days ago.

Hospital authorities in Singapore say the patient is currently struggling against all odds and fighting for her life. A multi-disciplinary team doing all to stabilise her. Sources at the Mount Elizabeth Hospital have indicated to CNN-IBN that no surgery can be conducted immediately as the survivor is still not fit for surgery.

The medical bulletin issued by Mount Elizabeth Hospital at 11.00 am read, "The patient continues to remain in an extremely critical condition. She is still receiving treatment at... Intensive Care Unit. 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."

The report continued, "The patient is currently struggling against the odds, and fighting for her life. 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. 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."

Meanwhile, Congress President Sonia Gandhi on Friday said there will be no celebrations on the 127th anniversary of the party as the party was praying for the recovery of the 23-year-old Delhi gangrape survivor. "There will be no celebrations on Congress formation day for us. Our thoughts are with the young woman who is fighting for her life," Sonia said.

Sonia, in her first public reaction on the incident, skipped wishing New Year greetings, saying "...Not so today because our thoughts are with the young woman, who is fighting for her life after the barbarous attack". She added "our only wish today is that she recovers and comes back to us and that no time is lost in bringing the perpetrators of such a barbarous act to justice".

Demanding speedy justice in the case, Sonia said, "We wish she recovers and no time is lost in bringing the perpetrators to justice." Prime Minister Manmohan Singh assured that the guilty will be brought to book. "Our prayers are with the brave young girl," he said. Singh pointed out that the government has constituted two committees under Justice JS Verma and Justice Usha Mehra to to suggest ways and means of modification in laws related to crimes against women and to look into lapses on anybody's part in dealing with the aftermath of this crisis respectively. "So you have my assurance that our government is committed to bringing the guilty to justice as soon as possible," the Prime Minister said.

The 23-year-old was admitted to Singapore's Mount Elizabeth Hospital on Thursday morning. Before she was admitted to the Singapore hospital she had undergone three abdominal surgeries and had experienced two cardiac arrests while undergoing treatment at the Delhi hospital. Doctors at the Safdarjung hospital said that on Tuesday night, she suffered two cardiac arrests. The decision to move her was taken at a meeting attended by the Cabinet Secretary, according to sources.

The Mount Elizabeth hospital specialises in multi-organ transplant procedures. The government is bearing all the expenses for the 23-year-old's treatment. Her parents and a team of doctors from the Safdarjung Hospital have also accompanied her.