A 19-year-old Dalit woman, who had been allegedly gang-raped by four so-called upper caste men in Uttar Pradesh’s Hathras, died in a hospital in Delhi, news agency ANI reported on Tuesday, 29 September, quoting her brother.
The woman had been admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) in a Delhi hospital, with multiple fractures and her tongue cut off, NDTV reported.
What Had Happened?
The victim had managed to give her statement to the police, stating that she was gang-raped by four men on 14 September when she had gone to collect fodder for animals.
The four accused had been arrested and sent to custody. Before being taken to Delhi, the victim had been admitted to an ICU in the Aligarh Medical College.
Initially, her family had reportedly accused the police of not taking action.
National Commission for Women (NCW) chairperson, Rekha Sharma, told reporters that suo moto cognizance was taken when the incident came to the fore.
Sharma said that “unfortunately, the victim passed away. We will be there to help her family. To control such incidents we need to change the mindset of the society,” ANI reported.
Meanwhile, Hathras DM stated that all four accused have been arrested. Under the SC/ST Act, her family has been given financial support of Rs 10 lakh, in total. The DM has rubbished the reports of the victims’ tongue being chopped off as false, ANI reported.
State Minister Siddharth Nath Singh expressed remorse, saying that “the government stands with the victim’s family.”
“The investigation started immediately and four accused have been arrested. Strict action will be taken. Law will take its own course,” he added.
“News channels will show these things for the next two days and politicians will give some token comments. But what after that? Are these incidents going to stop? Has punishment for such crimes been made stricter? No. How long will women in India fight for safety,” she questioned.
