As outrage intensified on Friday over the rape, murder and hurried cremation of a 19-year-old girl, the Uttar Pradesh police is facing the heat over the way it has been handling the case. The judiciary has also stepped in as a nationwide anger continues against the brutal crime, pointing fingers at the state of law in Uttar Pradesh. Meanwhile, the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court on Thursday cited a report aired on Aaj Ki Baat, an India TV programme anchored by Editor-in-Chief and Chairman Rajat Sharma, and issued a notice to the Uttar Pradesh government over forcible cremation of the rape victim and other issues. At the same time, on Friday also, Hathras remained centrestage of discussions as the government suspended top police officials while nation put forth its demand before the government to ensure justice to the victim.   

Hathras Gangrape and Murder Case | Highlights 

• Amid outrage over the Hathras case, the Yogi government on Friday evening suspended SP, DSP, inspector and other officials.

• The Yogi administration in total have suspended: Circle officer Ram Shabd, Inspector Dinesh Kumar Verma, Sub-Inspector Jagveer Singh and head constable Mahesh Pal. Meanwhile, Shamli SP Vineet Jaiswal will take charge of Hathras district.

• All the suspended officers will have to undergo a narco test, along with family members of the deceased, to ascertain the truth behind the incident since both have been giving contradictory statements regarding the incident, said Additional Chief Secretary, Home Avanish Awasthi.

• Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal also joined protesters at Delhi's Jantar Mantar. He said, "There should be no politics on this issue. Why should such an incident happen in UP, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Mumbai or Delhi? No rape incidents should happen in the country. The entire country wants that the culprits should be given stringent punishment. Some people feel that attempts are being made to save them. At this time, the victim's family needs all the possible help."

• Youth Congress members dressed as Mahatma Gandhi, organise a demonstration at Jantar Mantar Road to protest the alleged Hathras gangrape.

• As protests intensify over Hathras incident in Delhi, entry and exit gate for Janpath metro station have been closed. Trains will not be halting at this station. Exit gates for Rajiv Chowk and Patel Chowk are also closed, Delhi Metro Rail Corporation has informed. 

• Left parties, members of Bhim Army and student organisations hold protest against Hathras incident, at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi.
• Bhim Army Chief Chandrashekhar Azad takes part in a protest against Hathras incident, at Jantar Manta and says, "I will visit Hathras. Our struggle will continue till the time UP CM doesn't resign, and justice is served. I urge SC to take cognizance of the incident."
• Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) demands Yogi Adityanath's resignation over Hathras incident.  
• Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra attended a prayer meet for the victim of Hathras incident, at Maharishi Valmiki Temple in Delhi. 

• As politicians across part lines protest against Hathras incident, TMC's leader Derek O'Brien was allegedly push to ground while women MPs were manhandled by the UP Police.

TMC leader Derek O'Brien was allegedly pushed to ground by UP Police while protesting against Hathras incident.

• Reports are also surfacing that a strict action could be taken against Hathras DM and Superintendent of police (SP) by Friday evening.
• Speaking on restricting media entry, Hathras additional SP has issued a statement saying, "the restriction on the entry of media into the village will stay till the SIT completes its probe there. Due to the prevailing law & order situation, no political delegations or individuals will be allowed to visit the village."
• Meanwhile, an India TV reporter's clothes were torn off while the crew was trying to enter the village to meet victim's family.    
• Victim's brother speaks to India TV: "No SIT team is present at our house. We want to meet the media and our lawyers too." 
• India TV reporters stopped near victim's house, prevented from meeting victim's family. 
• Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, TMC​: Derek O'Brien was pushed to the ground, maybe he is injured too. He was attacked. How can they do it? 
• NCP leader Supriya Sule: I think UP government wants to hide something. What happened with Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi and Congress workers, and the kind of statements by DM and others, prove that UP government wants to hide something.
• Victim's brother speaks to India TV: "There is a lot of police in and around our house. We are being closely watched in the name of security. We fear our phones may be tapped too."
• A TMC delegation, including Derek O'Brien, stopped at Hathras border. They were on their way to meet the family of the victim of Hathras incident.
• Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal: The Hathras incident is very painful & the government's conduct with the victim's family is not right. We are living in democracy & people in power must not forget that they are not owners but 'sevaks' of this country.

India TV Impact: Allahabad HC takes suo motu cognizance 

A bench of justices Rajan Roy and Jaspreet Singh issued summons to the Uttar Pradesh additional chief secretary, director general of police and additional director general of police, asking them to be present before the court on October 12 to explain the case. The bench also ordered the Hathras district magistrate and senior superintendent of police to appear before it. The bench asked all officials to come prepared with all the relevant material and documents to apprise the court of their versions of the incident. Upset over the police cremating the teen’s body overnight allegedly forcibly in Hathras without her parent’s consent, the bench also asked officials to apprise the bench of the latest status of the probe into the alleged gang-rape and murder case. The bench also asked the late teen’s parent to come to the court to apprise it of their version of the incident and ordered the Hathras district administration to arrange for their travel to the court.

"In this very context we may also refer to an electronic media programme shown on India TV channel by the name "Aaj Ki Baat" where the anchor Shri Rajat Sharma dwelled on the issue of alleged forcible cremation of the deceased victim at length and in the said programme videos which were recorded on the spot at the time the deceased victim's body arrived in the village and her cremation indicating the forcible cremation without the family members being allowed to participate, that too, in the midst of the night contrary to the religious practices followed by the family, have been shown. The family members were shown as stating that cremation is not carried out after sunset and before day break and that the body of the deceased should be taken to their home, but this was not done."

Hathras woman not raped, says UP Police

The Uttar Pradesh police has said that the forensic report revealed that the Hathras woman who succumbed to her injuries at a Delhi hospital was not raped. Citing a forensic science laboratory (FSL) report, ADG (Law and Order) Prashant Kumar said the cause of her death is an injury on the neck and trauma resulting due to it.

"The report of the FSL has come. It says clearly that samples did not have sperm. It makes clear that there was no rape or gang rape. Even the woman in her statement to police did not mention about rape but talked about 'marpeet' (beating) only," he said.

Hathras DM threatens family

A shocking video has surfaced showing the District Magistrate (DM) PK Laxkar threatening the victim's family. ""Aap apni vishwasniyata khatam mat kariye... yeh media wale mei aapko batadu... aadhe aaj chale gaye... kal subah tak aadhe aur nikal jayenge... toh hum hi aapke saath khade hai. Ab aapki iccha hai aapko baar baar bayan badalna hai, nahi badalana hai," said Hathras DM.

Laxkar, however, refused to admit about his interactions. "I met with 6 family members of the victim yesterday (Wednesday) and we spoke for about an hour and a half. I met with them again today (Thursday) to see their point of discontent. I deny the negative rumours which are rife about my interactions with them," he said. 

Their main point of apprehension is that the convicted must be punished and be hanged to death. I tried to allay their fears and told them that the matter would be tried in a fast track court, he further added.

ALSO READ | Hathras SP, DSP, other officials suspended amid outrage over gangrape, murder of 19-year-old girl

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