Prayagraj/Hathras: A petition has been filed in Allahabad High Court on behalf of the family members of the Hathras victim. The family members have alleged in the petition that the district administration has illegally confined them in their house. This habeas corpus writ petition, filed by the family members of the victim, is listed on October 8 for hearing.
In a separate development, Sandeep Thakur, one of the main accused in the rape and murder of the 19-year-old Dalit woman has said he and the victim were friends. He stated that the family members of the victim did not like their relationship. He alleged in a letter that they have killed her and framing the four of them.
“The court has been requested to direct the district administration that the ‘family members be released from ‘illegal confinement’. They should be allowed to move out of their house and meet people,” said a source.
Om Prakash, the father of the victim, along with her mother and two brothers have filed the petition. In the petition, it has been alleged that September 29 the petitioners were illegally confined in their house by the district administration. Since then they are not being allowed to meet anyone.
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Meanwhile main accused Sandeep’s letter has been sent Wednesday to evening to Hathras SP, said a police official. In the letter Sandeep has sought ‘justice’ for him and the three accused. He also accused the woman’s mother and brother of torturing her.
The letter however, highlights the fact that the victim’s family knew one of the accused. “Apart from meeting, we used to speak on the phone once in a while,” Sandeep has written in the letter in Hindi.
The UP police had earlier claimed that call records reveal that the victim’s brother was in touch with Sandeep. Some 104 calls were made between the brother and Sandeep Thakur from October last year to March.
Sandeep, in his letter, alleged that the victim’s family was against their friendship. “On the day of the incident, I had gone to meet her in the fields that day. However, her mother and brothers were also present. So she requested me to go home which I did,” Sandeep has written in the letter.
“I got to know from others that she was thrashed badly by her mother and brothers over our friendship. She was badly injured. I have never touched her or done anything wrong with her. Her mother and brothers have falsely accused me and three others and sent us to jail. We’re all innocent. Request you to please investigate and get us justice,” Sandeep added.