Lucknow, Sep 30 (UNI) The 19-year-old Dalit girl from Hathras, who had succumbed to her injuries from gangrape and assault, was cremated by the Uttar Pradesh Police at her village in the small hours of Wednesday, allegedly in the absence of any family member or relative of the victim.
As per reports, the cremation was conducted in an open field at around 0230 hrs, while the family members and others were kept at a bay and behind a police cordon.
The family members of the victim alleged that they were denied the right to see the body and perform rituals.
As per a video which surfaced in the media, a pyre could be seen lit in an open field. Also, in the video, the family members can be seen protesting.
"My daughter said she wanted to come home. She succumbed to her injuries, but we could not fulfill her last wish due to adamant attitude of the authorities," the tearful father said.
The body was ferried from Safdarjung hospital to the Hathras village via road.
However, the local police had a different version. According to them, the funeral was conducted, as per wishes of the family.
The Chief Minister Office of Uttar Pradesh tweeted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had spoken to Mr Adityanath and asked him to take strict action against the culprits.
The Chief Minister also constituted a three-member SIT to probe the case and asked that the trial be conducted in a fast-track court. The SIT has been asked to submit its report in seven days, an official said.
Mr Adityanath increased the financial compensation to the family of the Dalit girl from Rs 10 lakh to 25 lakh, besides giving them a government job and a house in Hathras city.
However, the unusual cremation in the middle of the night evoked sharp criticism from Opposition parties, including the Congress, social activists and human rights organisations.
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) issued notice to the Uttar Pradesh government, seeking detailed report over the matter, within four weeks.
Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati, smelling something fishy, said, 'The cremation of Hathras gangrape victim by the Uttar Pradesh Police without handing over the body to the family or without their consent and in their absence in the dead of night, is raising doubts and resentment.'
Tagging Mr Adityanath in a tweet, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra posted, 'RESIGN. Instead of protecting the victim and her family, your government became complicit in depriving her of every single human right, even in death. You have no moral right to continue as chief minister.'
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav called the act condemnable.
'The BJP government has committed a sin and crime by doing so,' he tweeted.
The girl, a native of Hathras, on September 14, had gone to a farm with her mother to collect animal fodder. However, four upper caste men allegedly raped, assaulted brutally, strangulated and dragged here with her 'dupatta'.
She was found later in the field with severe injuries, Hathras Superintendent of Police Vikrant Vir had told media persons.
The victim was shifted to Safdarjung hospital in south Delhi from Aligarh's J N Medical College Hospital (JNMCH) on the request of her father for better care, where she breathed her last on Tuesday early morning.
All the four accused, identified as Sandip, Ramu, Lavkush and Ravi, have been arrested and booked under relevant Sections of IPC.
UNI Team PS RJ 2131