Hathras rape victim's body cremated late night; police forced to perform last rites, alleges family

The last rites of the Hathras gang-rape victim were performed at her native place here in the wee hours of Wednesday.

"We have talked to the victim`s family members. The last rites of the victim have been performed keeping in view of the peace situation here. Four accused have already been arrested. Police and administration will ensure that the perpetrators of the crime are brought to justice," said Prem Prakash Meena, Hathras Joint Magistrate.

However, the family of the 19-year-old Hathras gang-rape victim alleged on Wednesday that the police were forcibly trying to get her body cremated in the middle of the night.

Local police officers, however, told news agency PTI that the cremation was being carried out as per the wishes of the family.

The 19-year-old died in Safdarjung Hospital on Tuesday, after she was gang-raped in Hathras a fortnight ago. The victim was brought to Safdarjung Hospital on Monday from Aligarh Muslim University Medical College.

As news of her death spread, protests broke out in Delhi as well as in Hathras with all sections of society, including politicians, sports and Bollywood stars and activists, expressing their anguish and demanding justice for her.

The family left from Safdarjung hospital in Delhi on Tuesday night amid heavy police deployment. The body was taken by the Uttar Pradesh police, which reached Hathras earlier than the family members, claimed kin of the victim.

The police have forcibly taken the dead body and my father along with them for cremation. When my father reached Hathras, he was immediately taken (to the crematorium) by the police, a brother of the woman told over the phone at 1 AM on Wednesday.

Another relative said that the woman's father was accompanied by 30 to 40 people, chiefly relatives, and others from their neighbourhood had gone to the crematorium near Bool Garhi village, under Chandpa police station limits, in the district in western UP.

The Hathras district administration on Tuesday said a compensation of Rs 10 lakhs will be provided to the victim`s family. "The state government has already provided compensation of Rs 4.12 lakhs to the family," the district magistrate tweeted.

(With agency inputs)