Rayagada gang-rape victim dies at Vizag

-- CM declares ex-gratia compensation of Rs10 lakh

BADAL TAH/BUREAU

RAYAGADA: Finally, Rayagada gang-rape victim met the same fate in the hospital what Bebina and Delhi gang-rape victim had faced. After thirteen days of suffering, the 16-year-old victim succumbed to her burn injuries at the Care Hospital in Visakhapatnam on Tuesday. At 3.45 pm, Dr David, who was treating the victim, declared her dead.

“I was informed at 3:45 pm that the victim was declared dead in the hospital at Vizag. We talked with the local Collector and the Commissionerate Police (Visakhapatnam) to conduct her post-mortem there,” said Rayagada collector Sashibhusan Padhi.

On Sunday, after condition of the victim worsened with infection in her burn injuries spreading to more parts of the body, she was put on a ventilator at the hospital. She was facing difficulty in breathing and the doctors were in doubt whether she would live or not.

Notably, the minor who belongs to Anjipetta area had attempted suicide by setting herself ablaze the very next day after she was allegedly gang-raped by four persons on the outskirts of Rayagada town on January 2. About 70 per cent of her body was burnt and she was immediately shifted to the Care Hospital in Vishakapatnam on January 7 for her treatment.

Earlier, the college students, political parties, scribes and representatives of local Bar Association had conducted candle light march and protest rallies demanding justice to the victim. She was then shifted to Visakhapatnam on January 8 in critical condition after being treated in the district headquarters hospital. She was neither accompanied by any medical staff nor given any police protection while carried in the Government ambulance from Rayagada to Visakhapatnam. But fortunately, the Rayagada Chief District Medical Officer camped at Visakhapatnam facilitated her admission into the Care hospital.

A judicial magistrate recorded her statement the next day of admission in the hospital. When the inquiry officer Sujata showed around ten photographs to the victim, she could identify all four of them who were earlier forwarded to jail. After two days being admitted in the hospital, she went into coma, was shifted from ICU to the ventilator and did not regain sense till her death. The doctors treating her reported today high drop in her blood platelets and advised for blood donation. But before all that she left for heavenly abode.

This message was very much shocking for those who prayed for her early recovery. The whole town is mourning over her death and expressing anguish over the incident and demanding exemplary punishment to the hooligans. Rayagada SDPO V R Rao, Rayagada IIC Prasanta Bhupati and the inquiry officer Sujata would move on Wednesday to Visakhapatnam to initiate the post mortem process. Most probably, the body would be handed over to her family members after the postmortem.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Tuesday condoled the tragic death of the gang-rape victim at the Care Hopsital in Visakhapatnam and announced Rs 10 lakh assistance to her family. Patnaik said the Government has initiated necessary steps to take stringent action against the accused involved in the incident.

Meanwhile, State Committee of Samajwadi Party president demanded the State Government to give an ex-gratia of Rs 20 lakh to victim’s family. He also demanded the Government to direct the Women and Child Welfare department to form Rape Victim Rehabilitation Board for which such type of cases if happens can be addressed in future.