Hathras rape case: Widespread protests over death of UP dalit gangrape victim

Lucknow: A 19-year old Dalit woman belonging to Chandpa in UP’s Hathras district, who was gangraped by four upper caste men, died in Delhi's Safdarjung Hospital on Tuesday, sparking nationwide outrage and protests at many places in Delhi and UP. The victim suffered many grave injuries to her spinal cord and even her tongue was cut as a result of strangulation.

People across the spectrum incensed by the incident slammed the Yogi Adityanath government for its “inability to control heinous crimes” against women even after multiple initiatives. Industrialists, actors and cricketers, apart from Dalit leaders Mayawati, Chandrashekhar Azad, as well as Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav condemned the incident. Some likened it to the Nirbhaya case. Azad's Bhim Army staged a protest outside the hospital in Delhi, while Congress workers led by UPCC chief Ajay Lallu led a candle light march in Lucknow.

Critics came down heavily on police ‘negligence’ in registering a complaint under gangrape for eight days, as well as delay in taking the victim to Delhi for treatment. However, a statement of the DM and SP of Hathras district said that the woman’s brother registered a complaint on September 14 but the gangrape came to light only after the woman’s testimony eight days later. The statement said the victim’s brother said Sandeep, an acquaintance, tried to strangulate his sister while she was working on the farm with her mother in the morning. Sandeep was arrested on September 19 following the complaint under various sections dealing with attempt to murder and SC/ST Act. On September 22, when the woman was in a condition to give a statement, she said she was gangraped, following which the charges were added and three other accused arrested. After the woman's death, the attempt to murder was amended to murder.


The statement promised to pursue the matter in a fast track court.

“Incidents of consecutive rapes in Hathras, Shahjahanpur and Gorakhpur have shaken the state while the state's law and order situation is spiralling out of control,” Vadra alleged in a statement holding the CM accountable for the safety of women.

Congress leader from UP Supriya Shrinate also held a press conference and called the incident animalistic.