Delhi gang-rape victim given symbolic name 'Damini'
The 23-year-old gang-rape victim, battling for life in a Delhi hospital, has been named "Damini" by thousands of people who are supporting her on the streets and via social networking sites. The name draws inspiration from a Hindi film on a woman's fight for justice for a rape victim.
Outside Safdarjung Hospital, where the girl is battling for life after her brutal gang-rape by six men in a moving bus in south Delhi Dec 16, people gathered Sunday with placards that said "Damini tum sangharsh karo, hum tumhare sath hain" (struggle Damini, we are with you).
"Damini" was a Hindi film, released in 1993, featuring a woman's struggle against society and her family for justice for a rape victim.
While police fired tear gas shells and used water cannons against protestors at India Gate in central Delhi Saturday and Sunday, at Safdarjung Hospital children were seen leading the protests, holding placards demanding speedy justice.
In a corner was a chart paper put up by some student-groups for messages for the victim.
One of the messages on the chart demanded that the accused be handed over to the public. Another one asked for castration of the accused while one more sought death penalty for the rapists.
