Priyanka, Rahul meet Hathras gangrape victim's family amid high drama, say will continue to fight for justice

The outrage over Hathras gangrape and murder of a 19-year-old girl turned more intense on Saturday as Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra met gangrape victim's family members amid high drama. Both the leaders were earlier stopped at Delhi-Noida flyway in the afternoon while they were enroute to Hathras but later allowed to go by the administration. Moreover, soon after Priyanka and Rahul had left from Hathras after meeting victim's family, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath ordered a CBI probe though the ongoing SIT investigation will also continue simultaneously. Meanwhile, the Hathras town, where the 19-year-old girl went through a brutal horror, has been turned into a fortress amid presence of heavy police force. 

Hathras gangrape and murder case | Highlights

• We did not demand CBI inquiry in the case as SIT investigation is already underway, said the brother of Hathras gangrape victim after UP CM Yogi Adityanath ordered CBI probe into the case. 

• Soon after Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Rahul Gandhi's Hathras visit, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) reached house of the victim's family.  

• Speaking to media, an official of the SIT team said that they had come to register the statement of gangrape victim's father that was pending. However, "since the members were not feeling well and comfortable to register statement at this time, they asked us to come later, so we are leaving now."

• On being asked will CBI and SIT probe will run parallel, an SIT official said "yes", both the investigations will run simultaneously, however, he did not comment for how long SIT's probe will continue. 

• Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has ordered a CBI probe into the Hathras gangrape and murder case. 

• "The family couldn't see their daughter for the one last time. UP CM Yogi Adityanath should understand his responsibility. Till the time justice is delivered, we'll continue this fight," Congress' Priyanka Gandhi Vadra after meeting family of the alleged gangrape victim in Hathras.

• Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra meeting with Hathras gangrape victim's family underway. The meeting is taking place inside enclosed room.

• Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka along with 4 other party leaders arrive in Hathras to meet gangrape victim's family. 

• Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and KC Venugopal, take a halt at a restaurant in Mathura while en route to Hathras in Uttar Pradesh.

• An SIT comprising of 3 officers will visit Hathras. As far as meeting the family of victim is concerned, not more than 5 people can go to meet them, said UP Additional Chief Secretary Home Avnish Kumar Awasthi. 

• Even after a permission was given to Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra to visit Hathras, several other Congress leaders present in heavy numbers at Delhi-Noida flyway were lathi charged by police for protesting and trying to leave for Hathras even after the administration denied the permission. The UP Police has only allowed Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka and 5 others to visit Hathras.

• Meanwhile, massive traffic jams were witnessed on the Delhi-Noida Direct (DND) flyway as Rahul Gandhi and his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's cavalcade moved on the 9.2 km stretch to meet the kin of the 19-year-old Hathras girl who died four days ago following alleged gang-rape.

• UP DGP Hitesh Chandra Awasthi has said that the decision of performing last rites of the gangape victim in the dead of night did not come from Lucknow. It was a decision that was taken by Hathras DM and SP. However, Awasthi refused to comment on why the premission was not taken by the victim's family to cremate the body in dead of night.   

• Amid outrage over Hathras gangrape and murder case, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Saturday were allowed to go to Hathras to meet gangrape victim's family. It was a second attempt by top Congress leaders to visit Hathras. Though both the leaders along with other MPs and supporters were earlier stopped at Delhi-Noida flyway but were allowed later by the administration to visit the village. In total, Rahul Gandhi and sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra along with 5 others have been allowed to visit Hathras village.

What is Hathras gangrape and murder case?

According to the family, the woman was gangraped in a brutal assault on September 14 that left her with severe injuries. She died at Delhi's Safdarjung hospital on Tuesday. What followed next only fueled the matter and raised doubts over the role of the police. The girl was cremated in the middle of the night with family members claiming that police ignored their pleas to bring the body home one last time.

Action so far on Hathras case

Amid a nationwide outrage, the Uttar Pradesh government on Friday suspended the Hathras SP and four other police officers over their handling of the gangrape-murder case. Also, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been appointed to probe the case.

ALSO READ | Was it even my daughter: Hathras victim's father on hurried cremation

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