Hathras case: Amid outrage, CBI takes over probe from UP police

Hathras case: Amid outrage, CBI takes over probe from UP police
Student organisations protest against the Hathras gang rape and murder in New Delhi. IANS

New Delhi: Days after Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath recommended a CBI probe into the alleged gang-rape and killing of a 19-year-old Dalit girl in Hathras, the Central government on Saturday issued a notification to the federal agency to take over the probe, officials said.

The notification has been marked to a suitable branch of the premier agency, and probe teams will be dispatched to the crime scene along with forensic experts immediately after the registration of an FIR, they said.

The Dalit woman had died of grievous injuries at a Delhi hospital on September 29, a fortnight after she was allegedly raped at her village by four upper caste men.

After her death, the last rites of the girl was performed after midnight sans the presence of her family members, for which the UP government drew widespread criticism.

A political row also erupted surrounding the tragic incident as opposition leaders were not allowed to visit the victim's family. Last Thursday, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was roughed up by UP Police personnel at the Yamuna Expressway when he was marching towards Hathras.

Even Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha MP Derek O'Brian was manhandled outside the victim's village.

Besides the alleged gang-rape case, the Uttar Pradesh government has sought a probe by the CBI into the FIR related to the alleged criminal conspiracy to spread caste conflict, instigating violence, incidents of vicious propaganda by sections of media and political interests, they said.

Yogi Adityanath government had recommended a probe by the CBI last week after it under searing criticism over the incident and was even pulled up by the Allahabad High Court.

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