The cremation of the young physiotherapy gang-rape victim was a low-key affair, with the government taking control and ensuring minimum public participation and publicity. The general public was kept out, as the woman’s mortal remains were consigned to the flames at a Dwarka crematorium within hours of the arrival of the body from Singapore early this morning.
The 23-year-old victim had breathed her last at a Singapore hospital on Saturday, after a 13-day battle for life following the brutal assault on her by six persons in a moving bus on December 16.
In keeping with the general public outrage over the assault, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi were themselves present at the Palam Technical Area of the Indira Gandhi International Airport when the body arrived by a special Air India aircraft around 3-30 a.m.
The two leaders also interacted with the parents of the victim who had accompanied the body. Thereafter, a large number of policemen escorted the body to the victim’s residence and later to the crematorium. Several barricades were put by the police near the victim’s residence to prevent ordinary citizens from joining the mourning. The policemen asked the victim’s neighbours to stay away from her house where some rituals were being performed. The restrictions continued even after the body was taken to the crematorium.
The anger that has gripped the country following the incident resonated in the locality with neighbours joining the chorus demanding “strictest possible punishment” to the accused.
“When she left home the last time, little did her father know that she would return here as a corpse. It is not about a girl from our locality who has fallen prey to this barbaric act, it’s about the safety of women in general,” an emotional neighbour said.
The neighbour said his younger brother had tutored her while she was in school. ``Because she was focussed, her father decided to sell his land and mortgage their house to arrange for her educational expenses.’’
Those present at the crematorium included mostly family members and relatives of the deceased. The electronic media was not present as Broadcast Editors' Association had asked news channels to refrain from covering the funeral. Union Minister R.P.N. Singh, Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, Member of Parliament Mahabal Mishra and Delhi BJP chief Vijender Gupta were among those present at the cremation.
Though the body reached the crematorium around 5-45 a.m. and was put on the pyre by 6 a.m., the victim’s father only lit it at around 7-30 a.m. as the family members protested against the police rushing them and trying to get the cremation done even before sunrise. The area was fortified with a large number of policemen and members of the Rapid Action Force in anti-riot gear guarding the area and keeping a close vigil.
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