Rahul, Priyanka Gandhi to Visit Hathras Today to Meet Rape Victim's Family; Section 144 Imposed in District
The administration has imposed Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) in Hathras, which prevents the assembly of four or more persons. The Special Investigation Team (SIT) assigned the gangrape-murder case probe will meet the family today, the district magistrate said.
New Delhi, October 1: Senior Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra intend to visit western Uttar Pradesh's Hathras today to meet the family of 19-year-old Dalit girl who was gangraped and murdered. Officials could not confirm whether they would be allowed to meet the victim's kin as prohibitory orders were imposed in the region and district borders were sealed. Hathras Gangrape Victim's Family Allege Cops Didn't Allow Them to Bring Body Home, Forcefully Cremated Her.
The administration on Thursday imposed Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) in Hathras, which prevents the assembly of four or more persons. The Special Investigation Team (SIT) assigned the gangrape-murder case probe will meet the family today, the district magistrate said.
"Borders of Hathras are sealed. Section 144 of CrPC has been imposed in the district, more than 5 people are not allowed to gather. We've no information about Priyanka Gandhi's visit. SIT will meet the victim's family members today, media will not be allowed," Hathras DM P Lakshkar was reported as saying.
Update by ANI
Priyanka Gandhi, who is also the Congress' UP in-charge, lashed out at Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday after the body of rape victim was allegedly "forcibly cremated" by the police. He asked the CM to explain why the family members were allegedly kept away from the cremation.
"Yogi Adityanath must resign. Instead of protecting the victim and her family, your government became complicit in depriving her of every single human right, even in death. You have no moral right to continue as Chief Minister," she said.
Rahul Gandhi also slammed the UP government, levelling the "anti-Dalit" charge against the BJP-led regime. "All this is a shameful move of the UP government to suppress the Dalits and show them their ''place'' in the society. Our fight is against this hateful thinking," he said.
The victim, a woman of the Scheduled Caste community in Hathras, was abducted and gangraped by four men on September 14. The accused, apart from sexually assaulting her, also tortured her physically as she suffered from several bone fractures and damage to her spinal cord. The tongue of the victim was also reportedly "cut off". The deceased died on Tuesday at the Safdarjung Hospital in Delhi.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 01, 2020 10:16 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).