“Our sister’s soul will never rest now,” said the brother of the victim in the Hathras rape and murder case minutes after a special court acquitted three of the four accused.
A court in Uttar Pradesh's Hathras District on Thursday pronounced a judgment acquitting three of the four accused in the September 2020 gangrape and murder case concerning a 19-year-old Dalit girl. The court of Special Judge Trilok Pal Singh pronounced the verdict.
Speaking to The Quint, the victim’s brother said the “family is devastated.”
“We had high hopes from the Indian judiciary. But now we know this is what our Indian justice system is. Our sister is raped and murdered, then her body is burnt in the middle of the night, and now years later the court lets her rapists go free. We are devastated.”Brother of the Hathras victim
In its chargesheet pertaining to the case, the CBI had accused four men from the village of rape (IPC Section 376), gangrape (IPC Section 376D) and murder (IPC Section 304).
However, none of them have been found guilty of rape or murder by the court.
Moreover, the one accused Sandeep, who has been found guilty by the court, has been convicted for the offences of culpable homicide not amounting to murder (IPC Section 304) and provisions under the SC/ST Act.
“Even he hasn’t been convicted under rape and murder charges. That means he too would get bail soon, I am sure. This is outrageous,” the victim’s brother said.
“Uski aatma ko shaanti kaise milegi? (How will her soul rest now?),” he added.
'The Villagers Will Be Emboldened'
In September 2020, the Dalit victim had succumbed to her injuries. On 29 September 2020, she was cremated in the dead of the night by the Hathras police and administration – inviting shock from across the country.
Two years since the incident, when The Quint visited the village of the victim and the accused in September 2022, there continued to be widespread support for the men accused of the crime. The allegations were termed “false” by many villagers who said they stand by the accused men.
“These people have been supporting the accused since day one. Now that verdict acquitting them has come, the villagers will get even more emboldened,” the victim’s brother said.
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