The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Wednesday issued notices to the Uttar Pradesh Chief Secretary and the Director General of Police on the gang rape and murder of a 19-year-old woman in Hathras district.
The victim, who belonged to a Scheduled Caste, went missing on September 14 and was found in a badly injured condition on September 22 after being subjected to gang rape, the NHRC said. She passed away in hospital on Tuesday and her family alleged that the police did not allow them to conduct her last rites and cremated her in the early hours of Wednesday.
“The Commission has gone through the contents of the media reports which are very painful... It is apparent that the police was not able to take timely action to trace and save the victim girl due to which the young woman could not be saved from being subjected to grave cruelty... Not only this, there are also allegations made by the family that the police forcibly took away the body of the deceased for cremation...The incident has raised many questions about the law and order situation in the State,” the NHRC said.
‘Many incidents’
There had been many incidents of discrimination and harassment of SC community in U.P. “There have been number of instances of levelling of allegations of inaction against the police authorities and the administration. This is a serious issue of violation of human rights,” it stated.
The NHRC sought a report from the authorities within four weeks and directed the government to provide the victim’s family adequate protection. It asked the DGP to personally look into the matter to ensure a speedy trial against the four accused.
