UP: Opposition demands swift justice for Hathras rape victim in fast-track court

Targeting the Uttar Pradesh government following the death of the 19-year-old Hathras gang-rape victim at Safdarjung hospital in Delhi on Tuesday morning, the opposition parties in the state demanded prosecution of the four culprits in a fast-track court.

Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) president Mayawati tweeted in Hindi, "The news of the death of the Dalit girl after gangrape in Hathras, UP, is very sad. The government should provide all possible help to the victim`s family and ensure quick punishment to the culprits by prosecuting them in a fast-track court..."

Offering condolences to the bereaved family, Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Akhilesh Yadav tweeted, "There is no expectation from today`s insensitive power."

Another leader from his party, Sunil Yadav, too blamed the state government. "The unfortunate incident in Hathras has once again exposed and shamed the UP government. The victim`s tongue was cut off and her spinal cord was broken, but the Yogi (Adityanath) government filed a mere case of eve-teasing. It was only after the case got into the limelight, the UP Police filed a proper case of gang-rape," he said.

Congress leader Pramod Tiwari reiterated: "The Hathras gang-rape is unfortunate and the barbaric nature of the incident makes us feel shameful. Even Nirbhaya would be ashamed today. The victim`s only fault was that she lived a state ruled by the BJP."

The woman was raped allegedly by four men in her village on September 14 when she went to a farm. Police have arrested the four accused.

Meanwhile, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi in her tweet attacked the Uttar Pradesh government. Tagging Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Twitter Priyanka said,"@myogiadityanath you are responsible for the security of women in Uttar Pradesh."

"Dalit girl who faced brutality in Hathras died in Safdarjung hospital after fighting for life for two weeks," said Priyanka Gandhi. 

Earlier, the 19-year-old Dalit woman who was gang-raped by four men in Hathras in Uttar Pradesh four days passed away on Tuesday morning. She was struggling for her life under a ventilator in an Aligarh hospital for three days, after which she was shifted to Safdarjung, Delhi yesterday, but her conditions failed to improve in the slightest.

Two days ago, Hathras Superintendent of Police Vikrant Vir said that the four accused named in the rape case, which took place on September 14, have been arrested.

Giving details of the incident, the SP said that the woman had gone to the fields with her mother after which she got missing.  She was later found brutally injured, with her tongue having a serious cut as she bit it while the accused attempted to strangulate her, he said.

The SP said initially they came to know that Sandip (20) had tried to kill her following which he was arrested the same day.

(With agency inputs)