Yesterday five police officers, including the police superintendent, were suspended.
Lucnkow, Uttar Pradesh:
Uttar Pradesh Police Director General HC Awasthy will visit Hathras today amid controversy over local administration’s handling of alleged gang rape and murder of 20-year-old Dalit woman by four men of the so-called upper caste. month. HC Awasthy, the DGP of the UP, will be accompanied by the additional Chief Secretary (Home) Awanish Awasthi.
The visit by senior officials comes across as a wave of criticism directed at Yogi Adityanath’s government both on the Hathras tragedy and on the equally horrific crimes against women; In the days following the Hathras incident, which took place on September 14, at least two other assaults and rapes were reported, including one on an 11-year-old girl.
The visit also comes a day after an angry Allahabad High Court summoned senior government and police officials. The court said the matter was “of immense public importance … involves allegations of authoritarian authority resulting in violation of basic human and fundamental rights.”
Yesterday five policemen, including the police superintendent, were suspended from Hathras district as the state’s BJP government tries to calm criticism.
The family of Hathras’ young woman have alleged several misconduct by UP police throughout the case, including failing to add a rape charge against the four defendants – all from the so-called upper castes – until an official statement is made.
Police also sparked outrage after rushing to cremate the woman’s body at 2:30 a.m. after locking her family in their homes and preventing them from saying goodbye.
Amid mounting outrage, Hathras police claimed the cremation was carried out with the consent of the family and some members were present. It turned out to be an uncle – not his parents – who was called out and who was cremated.
Police have also been criticized for mistreating opposition leaders seeking to speak to the young woman’s family. Earlier this week Congressman Rahul Gandhi and Trinamool Congressman Derek O’Brien were pushed to the ground by UP cops as they tried to reach Hathras.
Mr Gandhi is expected to make another attempt this afternoon, but the cops have already erected a barricade along the highway that connects Delhi to Noida in the UP. Hathras DM Prem Prakash Meena told ANI News Agency that Mr. Gandhi would not be allowed to visit.
The 20-year-old woman, who died at Safdarjung Hospital in Delhi on Tuesday, suffered broken bones, paralysis and a spinal injury after a savage assault that has been compared to the 2012 gang rape in Delhi. Police said there was a gash in his tongue; she had bitten him while being strangled.
Furious protests against the police and government were staged across the country, including one in the national capital of Delhi on Friday, where Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal made an appearance and demanded that the four defendants be executed.
