Gang-rape victim's friend breaks his silence in TV interview

The man who was with a 23-year-old student who was viciously gang-raped on a bus has revealed that they were left bleeding and naked on a street, while people walked by and policemen argued over who would take them to hospital.

"We were without clothes. We tried to stop passers-by. Several auto rickshaws, cars and bikes slowed down but none stopped for about 25 minutes," he told Zee News television last Friday, in his first interview since the attack that has spawned protests throughout the country.

Six attackers assaulted him and the woman for more than two hours on the night of Dec 16 after luring them onto an illegal bus. The man said that even when someone finally called the police, the officers made him pick up his limp friend and put her in the police van.

"I said at least give us clothes but they wanted to decide which police station had jurisdiction," said the 28-year-old man, whose name was not revealed. "Twenty people were standing around and they were watching the commotion. They were just watching us."