NEW DELHI (TIP): Even through the trauma of a brutal gang-rape and murderous assault, Nirbhaya remembered the names of her rapists. As she lay in great agony in hospital, unable to speak, the 23-year-old braveheart correctly wrote down the names of four of the assaulters — Ram Singh, Mukesh, Vinay and Akshay. Nirbhaya had heard the names during the assault. She scribbled these in presence of the magistrate while her statement was being recorded under section 164 of CrPC. Other words she wrote on the paper were ‘rod se, lohe/wood’ and ‘kuch logon ko dekha, sources said. The paper was signed by the magistrate. Sources said the victim was asked questions in a way that she could reply in gestures.

This was the time when a statement under section 164 was recorded through gestures, the sources added. While taking her statement, questions were also asked in a multiple choice format so that she could point to the correct option. Sources said Nirbhaya answered correctly many multi-option questions like the colour of the bus (white), the bus stand from where they boarded (Munirka), number of people in the bus (5-7), the fare charged by accused (Rs 20), time of the incident (around 9.30 pm) and so on. Before her statement was recorded, a doctor at Safdarjung Hospital had opined that the girl was conscious, cooperative, meaningfully communication oriented and that she responded to questions through gestures, the sources said.

Sources said Nirbhaya preferred to write herself the answer to questions such as the names of the accused. The victim had given her statement twice, once in front of an SDM and then a Metropolitan Magistrate. Investigators say her answers were consistent on both occasions and also matched with the statement provided by her male friend. While Nirbhaya showed unusual courage, she appears to have received shoddy treatment at Safdarjung Hospital the night she was brought there. According to her medical status report dated December 20, she was brought to the hospital in a PCR van around 11.30pm on December 16 but was shifted to the ICU only around 5am — more than 5 hours later. Subsequently, when the cops sent the teeth samples of the accused to match with the bite marks on the body of victim, the hospital reportedly said it was not equipped to carry out that examination, sources said. The examination is now being conducted outside Delhi.