India grieves as gangrape victim cremated away from public glare

The mortal remains of the gangrape victim, who lost her brave battle for life in a Singapore hospital yesterday, were consigned to flames in New Delhi early today away from public glare.

The victim of a gangrape and murder which triggered an outpouring of grief and anger across India was cremated at a private ceremony on Sunday, hours after her body was flown home from Singapore.

The cremation plans were kept a secret till the last moment as police apprehended a large gathering may cause problems.

Fearing law and order problems, authorities also wanted the last rites to be performed at 6.30am but their plans did not go through as Hindu traditions did not allow cremation before sunrise.

At 7.30am, the emotional father of the victim, who fought a brave battle for life for 13 days, lit the funeral pyre in the presence of her brothers, relatives and others.

Police had approached the officials of New Indian Education and Cultural Society running a crematorium in Dwarka at around 10pm on Saturday and told them to arrange for cremation at 6.30am on Sunday.

"We were told about the victim. We made arrangements. Our priest Vijender Sharma guided the rituals.

After performing rituals at home, the body was taken to the crematorium in an ambulance with similar security arrangements.

A senior police official said the security arrangements were made to ensure that the cremation takes place peacefully.

There were violent protests last weekend following the gangrape and brutal assault on the 23-year-old girl.

The family and relatives were brought to the crematorium in a bus accompanied by police.

At the crematorium, the entrance was blocked for public and media.

Police had approached the government on Saturday and proposed that the body be taken directly to Ballia in UP via Lucknow or Varanasi but the government decided against it, sources said.

"I came because I really loved this girl. She was the brightest of all the girls in our neighbourhood," said Meena Rai, who was a close friend and neighbour.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Sonia Gandhi, the leader of the main ruling Congress party, were at Delhi airport to console the parents as they arrived home on a chartered plane with their daughter's body.

An ambulance transporting the body of the gangrape victim is seen outside her residence in New Delhi.