Delhi rape case: As it happened

Zee Media Bureau

New Delhi: The nation has been shamed again, this time over the savage rape and assault of a five-year-old girl child in East Delhi`s Gandhi Nagar area. While the accused has been arrested, the nation is demanding answers from the political class as to when women and children be safe in India. Here are the updates in the case: 7:45 pm: Scores of BJP supporters stopped by cops near Parliament House as they tried taking out a candlelight march towards India Gate while protesting the rape. 7:05 pm: DK Sharma, medical superintendent at AIIMS, told reporters that the condition of the rape victim is stable and under observation. She is conscious and interacting with her parents, said the doctor. 7:00 pm: Congress president Sonia Gandhi meets the five-year-old rape victim at AIIMS. 6:50 pm: Delhi rape accused being grilled by police officials at the heavily-guarded DCP office(East Delhi). 6:35 pm: Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde discusses the case with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Sonia Gandhi. 6:30 pm: Reacting on the issue, BJP leader LK Advani said: "The government sits idle as a heinous crime gets repeated sickeningly." 6:00 pm: Delhi BJP president Vijay Goel leads a protest candle march from Talkatora Stadium to India Gate against the rape of the five-year-old. 5:15 pm: The Delhi police bring the accused to the capital from Patna. 4:20 pm: Protesters gather outside 10, Janpath - residence of Sonia Gandhi. 3:55 pm: Section 144 imposed at India Gate. 3:45 pm: Crime is related to education, educated people do not commit such crimes. Police should also be strengthened, says Ram Jethmalani. 3:45 pm: Mere increase in punishments will not stop such crimes, says BJP leader and Supreme Court lawyer Ram Jethmalani. 3:35 pm: Delhi Police remove protesters from India Gate. 3:15 pm: It is critical for all of us to reflect on why these barbaric acts keep recurring in our midst, adds Hamid Ansari. 3:15 pm: Am deeply saddened and outraged at the brutal rape of the 5-year old child, says Vice President M Hamid Ansari. 3:00 pm: Protesters scuffle with police personnel outside Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde`s residence. 2:50 pm: Sushma Swaraj says she visited the rape victim at AIIMS. "Doctors are doing their best. Let us all pray," she added. 2:30 pm: Home Ministry sources say top Delhi Police brass may be reshuffled; action against Police Commissioner Neeraj Kumar likely. 2:25 pm: We should not just talk about action, but also take strict measures, says Sonia Gandhi. "It`s time for action, not words," she adds. 2:25 pm: Congress president Sonia Gandhi says strict action must be taken against the accused. 2:20 pm: Protesters show currency notes to police. Victim`s father had alleged on Friday that a policeman had offered him Rs 2000 bribe to keep quiet. 2:20 pm: Protests being held across the national capital – outside Delhi Police Headquarters at ITO, outside Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde`s house, and at Gandhi Nagar in East Delhi. 2:15 pm: Doctors at AIIMS say five-year-old rape victim is doing well, can be discharged from hospital in 4-5 days. 2:10 pm: Police say rape accused Manoj Kumar left for Bihar believing the victim was dead. 2:00 pm: CPI activists join protests at Police HQ. 1:25 pm: Prayers being held across the nation, including in Ahmedabad and Vrindavan for the rape victim. 1:15 pm: Victim will need to undergo corrective surgery, says doctors at AIIMS. 12:55 pm: We have to stay vigilant, urges the Home Minister. 12:55 pm: Accused has been arrested and he will be bought to Delhi soon, informs Shinde. 12:55 pm: Let probe report come out, we will take action, says Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde. 12:50 pm: Dealty penalty should be given in two instances - when minor is raped and when there is heinous crime like this, says Sushma Swaraj. 12:40 pm: Protesters outside demand Delhi Police Commissioner Neeraj Kumar step out of HQ and address them. 12:40 pm: Police appeal to protesters to demonstrate peacefully outside HQ; caution against breaking barricades. 12:40 pm: Police at ITO deploy water cannons as situation appears to be getting out of control. 12:35 pm: Traffic jam at ITO crossing as crowds grow in numbers. 12:33 pm: Protests intensify at Delhi Police headquarter at ITO; BJP and AAP supporters also gather outside Delhi Police HQ. 12:15 pm: Eight doctors` team constituted; girl under close observation, says doctor. 12:15 pm: Victim put on IV fluid and antibiotics; detailed examination and surgical procedure conducted at 12:15 am. 12:15 pm: Initial inspection showed she had perennial injuries, says Dr Sharma, and adds she did not require to be admitted to ICU. 12:15 pm: Dr BK Sharma of AIIMS issues medical bulletin of five-year-old rape victim, says she is stable, conscious and alert, and all her parameters are normal. 12:10 pm: Prabhakar confirms child was kept in confinement in a room for over 40 hours. 12:10 pm: Manoj left Delhi onboard Swantantra Senani Express on April 15 after the rape, DCP adds. 12:10 pm: Manoj came to Delhi 15 years ago; used to work as casual labour in a garments factory, says Prabhakar. 12:10 pm: DCP, East Delhi, Prabhakar says they are trying to bring accused – 22-year-old Manoj Kumar - to Delhi so that they can interrogate him. 12:00 noon: Congress president Sonia Gandhi likely to visit rape victim at AIIMS at around 1:00 pm. 11:50 am: Joint Commissioner of Police will conduct a vigilance inquiry, says Neeraj Kumar, and appeals people not to gather at India Gate. 11:50 am: Delhi Police Commissioner Neeraj Kumar speaks to Zee Media over phone, says case will be tried in a fast-track court. 11:35 am: As a society, we must check the erosion of values, says Mukherjee. 11:35 am: Ensure best medical attention is given to Delhi rape victim, demands President. 11:35 am: Urgent steps must be taken to bring the perpetrators to immediate justice, asserts President. 11:35 am: I join her family in praying for a speedy recovery, says President Mukerjee. 11:35 am: Shocked and deeply anguished at latest incident of sexual assault and rape of five-year-old child, says President Pranab Mukherjee. 11:27 am: Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad visits 5-year-old rape victim at AIIMS. 11:19 am: Student activists protesting against Delhi minor girl`s rape march towards Home Minister Shinde`s residence, claim TV reports. 11:17 am: Till date no strong measures have been taken to stop such crimes. This incident is condemnable, says BJP president Rajnath Singh. 11:15 am: Wasn`t policeman ashamed of slapping the girl protester? There is a need for change in mindset, otherwise no one will feel safe in Delhi, says BJP leader Sushma Swaraj. 11:05 am: Delhi Police should accept mistake, says former top cop Kiran Bedi. 10:37 am: Protests inside hospitals should be condemned. Shameful to play politics over this, says Sandeep Dikshit 10:36 am: Places where there are no TV crews, AAP protesters are never there, alleges Congress` Sandeep Dikshit 10:26 am: On the spot punishment should be given, their (rapists) hands should be chopped off, says Najma Heptullah. 10:22 am: Protesters outside AIIMS demand action, justice. 10:20 am: Five-year-old rape victim is stable, say AIIMS doctors. 10:15 am: This is heartbreaking and condemnable, says I&B Minister Manish Tewari. 10:08 am: Protest begins outside Delhi Police Headquarters at ITO. Protesters demand Police Commissioner`s removal. 10:06 am: Now is the time... Government of India should consider death penalty for rape of a minor, says BJP leader Smriti Irani. 9:44 am: We are sensitizing police to spread awareness among people on various laws and the respective punishments, says Krishna Tirath, Minister for Women & Child Development. 9:30 am: Prayer at Ajmer Sharif Dargah for Delhi rape victim. 9:25 am: Is this a police force or a gunda force? Should not merely suspend them but slap cases on them, says CPM leader Brinda Karat. 3:00 am: Accused Manoj on 72-hour transit remand, being brought to Delhi. 2:00 am: Accused Manoj Kumar, 25, arrested from Chiknouta in Muzaffarpur district of Bihar.