New Delhi: She was just another normal 23-year-old girl with dreams and aspirations in life before everything changed, for no fault of hers. She was raped, tortured, her body parts mutilated and thrown out of a bus naked, for no fault of hers.

India is ashamed. But more tragic is that India feels helpless. A girl being gang-raped in a bus on a Sunday evening while it is driven through the

streets of Delhi, India’s capital. Who is safe?

Her parents are by her side. They are numb as they see their daughter battling for life on ventilator support.

Doctors treating the girl say that they have never seen such brutality on a sex crime victim. They say she is in extreme pain and has been put on a steady dose of Morphine hoping that it will provide some succour.

Her condition had improved yesterday morning after she was operated upon on Sunday night but her condition deteriorated by yesterday evening. Doctors are battling to keep infections at bay as the injuries are extensive. Her platelet count had dropped, with blood pressure being unstable.

The next 24 hours are critical, if she pulls through, her chances of survival will improve. India prays.

The brutal rape and torture occurred Sunday night when the girl and a male friend boarded a private bus with tinted glasses. It moved along the bustling south Delhi areas of Munirka, Vasant Vihar and Mahipalpur as the men raped and tortured the girl and beat her friend, using iron rods and more. The couple was stripped, robbed and thrown off the bus near Mahipalpur.

The male friend was also taken to Safdarjung but discharged after treatment.

The bus driver Ram Singh was yesterday remanded in police custody for five days in by a Delhi court to allow his custodial interrogation.

The police said the other three arrested culprits, Ram Singh’s brother Mukesh, Vinay Sharma, an assistant gym instructor, and Pawan Gupta, a fruit seller, will be produced in court on Wednesday. A massive manhunt has been launched to nab the other two accused.

The Parliament and the public have united to demand action against the monster. The government promised to fast-track the case and constitute a special task force headed by the Home Secretary to look into suggestions made by members in this regard.

But the big question is whether India will ever change? Strict law and fast prosecution will surely act as a deterrent; however, there is little hope for our women until the society learns to respect them as individuals… as humans.

Such incidences cause anger among the masses but little affirmative action follows through. Hope, we as a nation take it forward this time and ensure India becomes safe, otherwise, who knows who will be next?