As the Hathras incident becomes fodder for political mud-slinging, many parties have tried to stir protests and caste-based violence in UP over the case. The Congress party had resorted to the politicisation of the sensitive case on Thursday with party leaders Rahul Gandhi, his sister Priyanka Gandhi and 200-odd party workers, leading a march on Greater Noida expressways en route the village of the victim’s family.
Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi and their party supporters were stopped in the expressway, near Pari Chowk, leading to a brief confrontation with the police, following which they were detained and taken away in UP Police vehicles.
The Congress leaders had been proceeded to Hathras with a large group of supporters and media personnel, despite being aware that section 144 has been imposed in the area.
UP Police FIR
The Gautam Buddh Nagar police in Uttar Pradesh had registered a First Information Report (FIR) against Congress leaders Priyanka Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and 200 party workers. In a statement, the Gautam Buddh Nagar police informed, “Some party members have also been booked for indulging in a scuffle during which some women constables were hurt while the uniform of a lady sub-inspector got torn”
The Congress leaders and workers were booked under Section 3 of the Epidemic Diseases Act and Indian Penal Code (IPC) Sections 188 (disobedience to order by a public servant), 269 (negligent spread of dangerous infection), and 270 (malignant spread of dangerous infection). Earlier, their convoy was stopped at Patel Chowk. The Congress leaders and their supporters were also detained by the police but eventually set free on a personal bond.
FIR lodged against Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and around 200 party workers under sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Epidemic Diseases Act: Gautam Buddh Nagar police
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) October 1, 2020
The Hathras incident
A 19-year-old girl had succumbed to her injuries on the morning of 29 September, two weeks after she was brutally attacked and strangulated by a group of men in Hathras. The police had stated that the victim had bitten her tongue, and had suffered injuries on her spine because of the brutal strangulation. The victim had later stated to the police that she was gang raped. However, the UP Police have stated that the post mortem report did not mention any injuries that may have indicated rape or sexual assault.
Yesterday, ADG Prashant Kumar had stated that the forensic lab report of the samples collected from the victim’s body have ruled out rape or sexual assault.
The UP government has constituted a 3-member SIT to look into the case. The government has also promised that action will be taken against police officials who were accused of negligence. The Yogi government has provided a monetary compensation of Rs 25 lakhs for the victim’s family.
