A software engineer, who was accompanying the 23-year-old woman on a bus when she was gangraped around two weeks ago, was an island of calmness the day she breathed her last at a Singapore hospital, sources said. The 28-year-old, who is at a south Delhi guest house, learned of the woman’s death around 5am while watching news, his uncle DK Mishra said.

According to Mishra, none in his family had the courage to give the news to the techie, even though everybody  got the news minutes after she had died.

“He did not talk much and kept himself busy scanning news channels in the guest house room. Even 13 days after the incident, my nephew holds himself responsible for her suffering and death,” Mishra said. “The only thing he wants now is the harshest punishment for the rapists,” he said.

“I’ve asked my brother and his son to come out in the open. But they don’t listen to me," Mishra added. “However, I plan to file a petition in the court on the issue,” Mishra said.

The techie left for Gorakhpur on Saturday evening, sources said.