The body of the 23-year-old victim of the horrific gang rape was
yesterday returned to India, where it was cremated Sunday in a private funeral,
Home Ministry spokesman K.S. Dhatwalia said.
Indian authorities added murder
charges Saturday for suspects in the brutal gang rape that led to the
death of a 23-year-old woman and sent outraged protesters to the
streets. The suspects already faced rape charges.
Six people, including a
minor and a bus driver, have been arrested in connection with the rape
that occurred in New Delhi this month.
Throngs of people have protested for days, demanding more protection for women and punishment for those behind the assault.
The woman was airlifted to Singapore earlier this week after she was treated for injuries in a New Delhi hospital.
Singapore doctors said she died "peacefully" early Saturday, surrounded by her family and Indian embassy officials.
The woman had been in
"extremely critical condition" since her arrival Thursday and took a
turn for the worse, said Dr. Kelvin Loh, chief executive officer at
Mount Elizabeth Hospital.
"She had suffered from
severe organ failure following serious injuries to her body and brain,"
Loh said. "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."
The U.S. Embassy in New Delhi expressed its condolences Saturday.
"As we honor the memory
of this brave young woman, we also recommit ourselves to changing
attitudes and ending all forms of gender-based violence, which plagues
every country in the world."
Authorities have not
released the name of the woman, but Indian protesters are calling her
Damini, which means "lightning" in Hindi.-CULLED FROM New Delhi (CNN) --
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