Dec 16 gang rape verdict: What happened the night Delhi was shamed

December 16 gang rape victim in Delhi would have had a different future if the city could provide her safe public transport. But she and her male friend were forced to board a private bus that night.

December 16, 2012 would have probably been just another day for the 23-year-old paramedical student returning after watching a movie with a friend if Delhi had a safe public transport system.

Protesters gathered at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar in December 2012 to demand justice for 23-year-old gang rape victim.(HT File)

She would have lived to turn 28 on May 10 this year had the police reined in rogues in a white private bus that had no business to be on the road that night.

But instead she died a painful death in a hospital in Singapore 13 days after she was brutally attacked and gang-raped. She left behind an angry nation that wanted change like never before. This is what happened that night:

* The paramedical student and her friend, after watching Life of Pi at a cinema hall in south Delhi’s Saket, reached Munirka Bus Stand at 9 pm in an auto

* They could not find any public transport to return home from there. So both of them boarded a chartered bus after its conductor talked them into it.

* The victim and her friend saw four boys in the driver’s cabin and two boys sitting behind the driver’s cabin, that is, one on the left and another on the right side.

* They sat next to each other on the left side - second seat in the bus and paid fare of Rs 20

* As the bus reached the flyover near the airport, three boys came out of the driver’s cabin. Two of them started abusing the woman’s friend and asked him where he was taking her late in the evening

* One of them hit the victim’s friend who tried fighting back. Soon, two other boys joined in beating him with iron rods lying in the bus

* As the victim came forward to save her friend, two of the assailants pushed her to the back seat

* While victim’s friend was caught and being beaten, the other assailants took their turn to rape her

* In their brutal act, the convicts damaged her internal organs using an iron rod

* The assailants also robbed both the victims

* The assailants then tried to throw both the victims out of the moving bus from its rear door but since it could not open, they brought them in the front and pushed them out of the moving bus on National Highway 8 near Mahipalpur flyover. Both victims were later spotted by the passersby who informed the police.

* The passersby also brought sheets to cover them. They were then rushed to Safdarjung Hospital.

* The statement of victim’s friend was recorded.