Gang-rape culprits must be punished soonest: Sonia Gandhi

No time should be lost in punishing those responsible for the gang-rape of the 23-year-old woman, now battling for life in a Singapore hospital, Congress president Sonia Gandhi said Friday.

"Our wish is that she recovers and comes back to us... and no time is lost in bringing perpetrators of the crime to justice," Gandhi told reporters at the Congress headquarters here after hoisting the party flag on the occasion of its foundation day.

This is Gandhi's first public statement on the young physiotherapist who was brutally tortured and raped by a gang of men in a moving bus in the national capital.

The Congress leader wished for a speedy recovery for the 23-year-old survivor who is still extremely critical according to the last medical update by the Singapore hospital.

When PTI contacted the hospital officials onFriday, they informed that the girl's condition was the same as Thursday night.

Hospital Chief Executive Officer Dr Kelvin Loh had said in a statement last night that "the patient remains in an extremely critical condition. She is under treatment at Mount Elizabeth Hospital's Intensive Care Unit."

"Prior to her arrival, she has already undergone three abdominal surgeries, and experienced a cardiac arrest in India," said Dr Loh. "A multi-disciplinary team of specialists is taking care of her and doing everything possible to stabilise her condition."

The security was tightened at the hospital, favoured by well-heeled patients, with each visitor screened before being allowed into the ICU.