Hathras gangrape case: Victim’s family leave for Lucknow amid tight security, to appear before Allahabad court
Amid tight security, Hathras victim's family has left for Lucknow for court hearing on Monday (October 12)
Lucknow: The family members of a 19-year-old Dalit woman, who died after allegedly being raped by four men in Uttar Pradesh's Hathras district, will appear before the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad high court amid tight security on Monday (October 12). The family has left for Lucknow amidst high security.
The kin of the victim will be recording their statement on the "forced cremation" of the victim's body following her death in Delhi's Safdarjung hospital.
“I am going with them. Proper security arrangements have been made. District Magistrate (DM) and Superintendent of Police (SP) is also accompanying us,” news agency ANI quoted sub-divisional magistrate Anjali Gangwar as saying.
"Five of us will be appearing in court. The administration had asked us how many from our family would like to be present for the hearing on October 12. My father, mother, sister, younger brother and I will be appearing in court," the victim's elder brother told reporters. "The administration has promised full security when we travel to Lucknow on Monday," he added.
The hearing is likely to be held in-person. The court had ordered the Hathras district administration to arrange for the family's travel. The case is listed for hearing before a division bench of Justice Pankaj Mithal and Justice Rajan Roy at 2.15 pm.
The 19-year-old had succumbed to her injuries at Delhi's Safdarjung Hospital on September 29 after being assaulted and allegedly gang-raped in Uttar Pradesh's Hathras on September 14.
Jaiswal further said that no panchayats have taken place so far. "We are discouraging any such gatherings. The additional police force has been placed there as a precautionary measure," he added.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has also registered a case against an accused and took up the investigation of the Hathras incident.
A CBI team reached Hathras today for the investigation in the case. The team has sought some documents from the local administration.
On October 1, the Lucknow bench of Allahabad high court took suo motu cognizance of Hathras incident and has sought response from state DGP and other senior officials.
The Court had sought response from Additional Chief Secretary/Principal Secretary (Home), Director General of Police, Additional Director General, Law and Order and District Magistrate and Superintendent of Police of Hathras by October 12.