India gang-rape victim dies in hospital

Piyal Adhikary / EPA

A young woman, one hand covered in fake blood, takes part in a protest Friday in Calcutta against the gang rape of a student.

By NBC News and wire services

SINGAPORE ? A 23-year-old Indian woman who was gang-raped and severely beaten on a bus in New Delhi died Saturday at a Singapore hospital, after her horrific ordeal galvanized Indians to demand greater protection from sexual violence that impacts thousands of women daily, but often goes unreported.

The victim who has not been identified,?"passed away peacefully" with her family and officials of the Indian embassy by her side," said Kelvin Loh, the chief executive of Mount Elizabeth hospital where she had been treated since Thursday. "The Mount Elizabeth Hospital team of doctors, nurses and staff join her family in mourning her loss," he said in a statement.

---

The woman and a male friend were traveling in a public bus after watching a film on the evening of Dec. 16 when they were attacked by six men who took turns raping her. They also beat the couple and inserted an iron rod into her body resulting in severe organ damage. Both of them were then stripped and thrown off the bus, according to police.

?

The woman was airlifted to Singapore on Dec. 26 for specialist treatment, but she had remained in extremely critical condition, Loh said.

The victim had already undergone three abdominal operations before arriving in Singapore, where her condition on Thursday was described as "extremely critical."

Photos: Police try to temper outrage over gang rape

"Despite all efforts by a team of eight specialists in Mount Elizabeth Hospital to keep her stable, her condition continued to deteriorate over these two days," said Loh on Saturday. "She had suffered from severe organ failure following serious injuries to her body and brain. 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."

Related video:

Rape ignites outrage
Protesters call for execution

The attack triggered nationwide protest?over the lack of safety for women, culminating last weekend in pitched battles between police and protesters in the heart of the capital.

New Delhi has the highest number of sex crimes among India's major cities, with a rape reported on average every 18 hours, according to police figures. Government data show the number of reported rape cases in the country rose by nearly 17 percent between 2007 and 2011.

The incident?caught Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's government off guard and triggered a blame game between politicians and the police.

"We share the anguish and anger with the country over this heinous crime," Singh told reporters on Friday. "Our prayers are with the brave young girl and best possible medical care is being provided to her."

?

Protests continued across New Delhi, India, where around 500 people marched in response to the recent gang rape of a young woman. NBCNews.com's Dara Brown reports.

?

Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

More world stories from NBC News:

Follow World News from NBCNews.com on Twitter and Facebook

?

Source: http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/12/28/16212322-india-gang-rape-victim-dies-in-hospital?lite

tory burch Al Smith Dinner Herman Melville Books American Horror Story Kyna Treacy megan fox Bb&t