Hathras (UP): A 19-year-old Dalit woman from Uttar Pradesh’s Hathras died Tuesday morning at Safdarjung hospital in Delhi. The Dalit woman was raped September 14 and she had been battling for her life for the last couple of weeks. She was raped by four men here brutally. The rape is a stark reminder of the ‘Nirbhaya’ incident which took place in the national capital a few years back.
The family members of the woman said she died around 3.00am, Hathras SP Vikrant Vir told reporters.
The victim was first admitted to the Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College and Hospital in Aligarh. She was referred to the Delhi hospital Monday after her condition showed no signs of improvement.
Severely injured
The accused had also tried to strangulate her to death as she resisted their attempt. In the process the Dalit woman had ended up biting her tongue and suffering a severe cut on it. A spokesman of the Aligarh hospital had said that the woman’s legs were completely paralysed and arms partially paralysed. She had also suffered multiple fractures.
The four accused will now also face charges under Section 302 (murder) of the IPC, according to the Hathras SP.
Opposition leaders Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Mayawati condemned the incident. They have demanded strict punishment for the culprits of the heinous crime.
Priyanka’s statement
“A Dalit girl who was victim of demoniac behaviour in Hathras has passed away at Safdarjung Hospital. For two weeks she kept struggling between life and death in hospitals. Culprits should be given exemplary punishment,” Congress general secretary Priyanka said in a tweet.
Priyanka also said incidents of rape one after another, in Hathras, Shahjahanpur and Gorakhpur have shaken the state. “Law and order in UP has deteriorated to a great extent. There is no semblance of safety for women. The criminals are committing crimes in the open,” Priyanka Gandhi.
Mayawati wants stringent punishment
BSP president Mayawati also demanded stringent punishment by prosecuting the accused in a fast track court.
“The news of the death of Dalit victim after gangrape in Hathras, UP is very saddening. The government should provide all possible help to the victim’s family. It should also ensure fast punishment to the culprits by prosecuting them in a fast track court. This is the demand of the BSP,” Mayawati said in a tweet in Hindi.
Police version of incident
The Dalit woman had gone to the fields with her mother September 14. She had gone missing soon after. She was later found brutally injured, with her tongue having a serious cut, , the SP had said while giving details of the incident.
The Hathras SP said initially they came to know that Sandip, 20, had tried to kill her. Getting this information the police arrested him.
Later in her statement to the magistrate, the woman had said that besides Sandip, Ramu, Lavkush and Ravi had raped her. She said when she resisted their attempts, they tried to strangulate her. It led to the cut in the tongue.
Kejriwal wants guilty to be hanged
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal termed the death of the victim a matter of shame for India. He demanded the hanging of the guilty.
“The death of the Hathras victim is shameful for the entire society, country as well as for all the governments. It’s highly sad that so many daughters are being sexually assaulted. It proves we have not been able to protect them. The guilty must be hanged at the earliest,” Kejriwal tweeted in Hindi.
NCW promises support
Meanwhile the National Commission for Women (NCW) said Tuesday it has assured all possible assistance to the family of the woman.
NCW chairperson Rekha Sharma said the commission had sought an action taken report from the Uttar Pradesh Police on the matter. The NCW has been informed that that the four accused have been nabbed, she said. Sharma informed that the commission has reached out to the brother of the victim. It has assured him of all possible assistance.
“An NCW member is going to meet the brother of the victim and we will help the family in whatever way we can,” Sharma said.
Agencies