The body of the 20-year-old Dalit woman, who died at a Delhi hospital a fortnight after she was gangraped by four upper-caste men in Uttar Pradesh’s Hathras, was cremated at around 3 AM by Uttar Pradesh police on Wednesday. (image used for representational purpose only)
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday appointed Superintendent of Police (SP) of Shamli Vineet Jaiswal, as the new Hathras SP. The moves came after he gave directions to suspend SP, DSP, inspector and some others officials over the gangrape and death of the 19-year-old Dalit woman that has triggered nationwide protests.
According to Chief Minister's Office (CMO), Hathras SP Vikrant Vir, Circle Officer (CO) Ram Shabd, Inspector Dinesh Kumar Verma, Sub-Inspector Jagveer Singh and head constable Mahesh Pal have been suspended for the negligence in duty based on the first report submitted by the Special Investigating Team (SIT).
According to the Chief Minister's office, narco polygraph tests will also be conducted of SP, DSP and other concerned officials. The UP government had formed an SIT to probe the incident and said that the matter will be heard in the fast track court.
The Chief Minister had said earlier in the day that the government was committed to ensuring the safety of women.
"Those who even think of damaging the honour of our mothers and sisters will be destroyed. They will be given such punishment that it will serve as an example in future. Your UP government is committed to the safety and security of every mother and sister. This is our promise, our determination," Adityanath said in a tweet in Hindi.
The 19-year-old woman died at Delhi's Safdarjung hospital on September 29. All the four accused in the incident have been arrested.
An uproar has erupted over the incident with the opposition also raising questions over the manner in which the last rites of the woman were performed. The police has said that consent of family was taken for cremation.
