Centre asks CBI to take over Hathras case probe

New Delhi, October 10

The Central government has issued a notification for the CBI to take over probe into the alleged gang-rape and death of a 19-year-old woman in Hathras in Uttar Pradesh, officials said on Saturday.

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.

Besides the alleged gang-rape case, the Uttar Pradesh government has sought a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (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.

The Dalit girl had died at a Delhi hospital on September 29, a fortnight after she was allegedly raped and assaulted by four upper caste men in her village.

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.

Yogi Adityanath had demanded a CBI probe into the incident earlier this week. — PTI/IANS