Hathras case: CBI begins probe

The family members of the 19-year old Dalit Woman, who died after being assaulted and allegedly gangraped by four upper caste men in Hathras, told the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court on Monday that the district administration carried out her cremation “against their wishes”.

Hathras District Magistrate Praveen Kumar Laxar and Superintendent of Police Vineet Jaiswal told the court that the decision on the cremation was taken by the local administration and police, and there were no instructions or pressure from the state government.

Meanwhile the Central Bureau of Investigation, which took over the investigation into the Hathras alleged rape case, has started with the probe and a team of agency will soon be reaching the Uttar Pradesh village where the incident took place on September 14.

UP Police has handed over crucial documents in the case and CBI has now taken over the investigation. Meanwhile, the Allahabad High Court, which had summoned UP Police and government officers in the Hathras case, has come down heavily on UP government officials over the hurried late-night cremation of the 19-year-old Dalit girl.

The court has asked the Uttar Pradesh government to issue detailed guidelines on dealing with such incidents. Lawyer Seema Kushwaha, who is appearing for the victim’s family, has requested the court to not release the SIT probe report in public domain.