Cops Move Kin of UP Gang-Rape Victim From Protest Outside Hospital

Security personnel stand guard at a Delhi Hospital, where political party workers are holding a protest demanding justice for Hathras gang-rape victim, in New Delhi, Tuesday, 29 September, 2020.

(Photo: PTI)

The father and brother of the Dalit woman who had died in a Delhi hospital, after being gang-raped in UP's Hathras two weeks ago, have been taken away by the cops after they were protesting outside the hospital where she had breathed her last, reported NDTV on Tuesday, 29 September. The cops reportedly moved them in a police vehicle.

The Delhi Police, however, has denied that the family members were on dharna, reported news agency ANI.

“Family members were not on dharna (outside the Delhi hospital). They wanted to go. Different groups tried to hijack the issue. Later, the family was convinced and they left with SDM and Circle Officer, Hathras, UP.”

Delhi Police statement to ANI

According to the NDTV report, visuals from outside the hospital showed hundreds of people gathered around a black Scorpio with UP number plates (a police vehicle), into which the woman's family were apparently being forced.

The family demanded to be informed of the location of her body and had called for justice for her, reported NDTV. They eventually agreed to leave after being assured that her body would be handed over.

The police have not, however, disclosed where the woman’s body has been kept yet, the report added.

WHAT ARE THE COPS SAYING?

The cops, according to NDTV, said, in reference to the protesters outside the Delhi hospital, that they were not following social distancing rules and few, if any, of them were wearing face masks. The cops further claimed that the families of other patients had voiced concern over the possibility of the virus spreading among them.

The report added that the visuals from the hospital showed a lot of confusion and ruckus, making it difficult to discern protesters from the crowd and how they may or may not be behaving.

BHIM ARMY PROTESTS OUTSIDE THE HOSPITAL

Meanwhile, according to news agency PTI, the Bhim Army staged a protest on Tuesday outside the Delhi hospital.

The Bhim Army is reportedly demanding that the culprits be sentenced to death.

According to PTI, Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad appealed to the Dalit community “to take to the streets and demand death penalty for the guilty.”

“The government should not test our patience. We won’t rest until the culprits are hanged.”   

Chandrashekhar Azad, Bhim Army Chief, as quoted by PTI 

Azad had, according to PTI, demanded the UP government take the woman to AIIMS for better treatment.

Azad also later alleged that the state government was equally responsible for her demise.

MEMBERS OF DELHI MAHILA CONGRESS DETAINED

According to PTI, police detained members of the Delhi Mahila Congress who were also protesting at Vijay Chowk on Tuesday, demanding justice for the Hathras gang-rape victim. Congress Rajya Sabha member PL Punia and former MP Udit Raj had also joined the protest led by Delhi Mahila Congress president Amrita Dhawan.

The protesters were taken to the Mandir Marg police station, reported PTI, citing a senior police officer.

BACKGROUND

The 19-year-old gang-rape victim had been admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU), with multiple fractures and her tongue cut off, NDTV reported.

According to PTI she was first admitted to Aligarh Muslim University’s Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College and Hospital, from where she was shifted to a hospital in Delhi.

The victim had managed to give her statement to the police, stating that she was 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.

(With inputs from NDTV, PTI and ANI.)