NHRC Takes Suo Moto Cognizance Of Hathras Gang Rape Case; Seeks Report From UP Govt

The Commission has issued notice to the DGP, UP directing him to look personally into the matter to ensure a speedy trial. It has also directed the State Chief Secretary to provide adequate protection to the victim's family.

Pained by the alleged incident, as reported in the media, the Commission said,

"A young woman belonging to SC community has been subjected to sexual harassment and brutality. It is apparent that the police was not able to take timely action to trace and save the victim girl due to which the young woman could not be saved from being subjected to grave cruelty. The way the perpetrators have acted shows that they had no fear of law in their mind. The family has suffered an irrevocable loss. A young and a precious human life has been lost."

Every Possible Fundamental & Human Right Of Victim Was Violated: DCW Chairperson Writes To CJI Seeking HC Monitored Inquiry Into Hathras Gang Rape Case

The 19-yr-old victim in this case was allegedly tortured and gang raped by four men on September 14 in UP's Hathras district. It is alleged that the perpetrators cut of the tongue of the victim to ensure that she does not give any statement to the police and repeatedly threatened her family for several days.

She was recovered from the fields in a critical condition and was admitted to a hospital in Aligarh for treatment. On September 28, she was shifted to Safdarjung Hospital in Delhi, where she succumbed to her injuries the next day.

It is alleged that despite repeated pleas of the victim's family, the local police failed to register a case of gang-rape or even rape and for 5 days the accused persons roamed around scot-free.

Furthermore, it is alleged that the victim's family was not allowed to cremate her body but was instead, locked up in their home.

"The family of the victim alleged that the body of the deceased was forcibly taken away for cremation by the police personnel around midnight by 3.00 A.M on 30.09.2020. The administration pressurized for cremation at the earliest while the family wanted to take the body of the woman to her house," the Commission noted.

All these allegations have however been denied by the UP Police.

The District Magistrate of Hathras, Uttar Pradesh reportedly mentioned that the accused have been booked under the SC/ST(POA) Act and the family of the victim has been compensated with an amount of Rupees Ten Lakhs. He also mentioned that a Fast Track Court will be set up to hear the case to punish the culprits at the earliest.

SP Praksh Kumar reportedly denied the reports of victim's tongue being slit and informed that she had suffered spinal injuries. He mentioned that the In-charge of the Hathras Kotwali PS has been removed for the alleged inaction in the case and the four accused have been arrested who will be booked for the murder.

Mr. Kumar has also reportedly claimed that the victim's cremation took place as usual, at her village in Hathras.