Hathras rape case, protests LIVE updates: Yogi Adityanath should have decency to call Hathras incident a tragedy, says Rahul Gandhi

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi Tuesday attacked the Uttar Pradesh government saying that Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath should have the decency to call the alleged gang rape and killing of a Dalit woman in Hathras district a tragedy. Gandhi, who is currently holding a series of tractor rallies in Punjab to protest the Centre's new farm laws, also took on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, alleging that he has not spoken "a word" on the Hathras incident, news agency PTI reported.

The Kerala Union of Working Journalists has filed a habeas corpus petition in the Supreme Court against the arrest of a Kerala journalist by the Uttar Pradesh police. Journalist Siddique Kappan was detained along with three other men from a toll plaza in Mathura on Monday. The police claimed the men were part of the Popular Front of India (PFI) and Campus Front of India (CFI) and were on their way to Hathras.

A joint delegation of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and the Communist Party of India (CPI) on Tuesday met the family members of the Hathras victim and demanded an independent judicial enquiry into the matter.

The delegation consisted of CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury, CPI general secretary D Raja, CPI(M) politburo member Brinda Karat, CPI national secretary Amarjeet Kaur, CPI(M) UP state committee secretary Hiralal Yadav and CPI UP state secretary Girish Sharma, PTI reported.

The National Commission of Womn (NCW) has sough explanation from BJP IT cell chief Amit Malviya, Congress leader Digvijay Singh and and actress Swara Bhasker on allegedly revealing the identity of Hathras victim on Twitter. It has also directed them to delete the posts.

"... you are hereby required to provide a satisfactory explanation to the Commission on receipt of this notice and shall remove and refrain from transmission of such pictures/ videos on the social media as they are widely circulated by your follower which is prohibited by the existing law," the NCW directed.

Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati has questioned the Uttar Pradesh government's claims of conspiracies to flare communal and caste violence in the state in the wake of the Hathras incident, and said that the government should focus on getting the victim’s family justice. "Only time will tell whether the allegations being levelled by the UP government... But, the public opinion is that the family of the victim in Hathras get justice. It will be better if the UP government focuses on this,” the BSP chief wrote on Twitter in Hindi.

“The whole country is furious and angry over the way the Hathras victim’s family was treated which wrong and inhuman. The government should correct the mistakes committed by it and should get serious about getting family justice, else it will difficult to stop such heinous incidents,” Mayawati wrote in another tweet.

The comment comes a day after Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath reiterated his allegation that “conspiracies are being hatched every day” against his government by “those who want to incite caste and communal riots”.

Advocate Indira Jaising, who appeared on behalf of the petitioners, sought protection for the witnesses. To this, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said the witnesses were already protected. The Supreme Court then asked the SC to put on record that a witness protection plan was already in place. The SG said he would file by Wednesday.

The Supreme Court has sought suggestions from all parties on the scope of proceedings before the Allahabad High Court, and what it could do to expand it.

With more applications being filed in the matter, CJI says pls understand that we are in no way condoning the incident, it is horrible but question is how many similar arguments do we hear? @IndianExpress

— Ananthakrishnan G (@axidentaljourno) October 6, 2020

The Supreme Court has called the Hathras incident "extraordinary" and "shocking", while hearing a writ petition seeking a CBI or SIT probe into the alleged gangrape and murder of a 19-year-old Dalit woman by four upper-caste men. The bench headed by Chief Justice of India S A Bobde tells the lawyers arguing the case it was a horrible incident, and it doesn't want repetitive arguments in court, reports PTI.

The Supreme Court is hearing a petition seeking a probe by the CBI or a Special Investigation Team (SIT) into the Hathras incident. The bench is headed by Chief Justice of India S A Bobde and comprises Justices A S Bopanna and V Ramasubramanian. The petitioners also want the trial to be shifted to Delhi. 

In its affidavit in the Supreme Court, the Uttar Pradesh government has noted three statements provided by the victim before her death. In the first, the state sayd the victim and her mother "clearly stated that she was not injured anywhere else other than the neck, that accused was only Sandeep & that nothing else had happened". It also said the victim's brother spoke about "family enmity" between the victim and the accused. The second statement, the victim said the accused "molested" her. The third statement by the victim raised rape charges against four men.

On Sep 19, victim in statement said accused had also “molested” her. Accused was arrested next day. On Sep 22nd in a fresh statement, the victim rsised rape charges against 4 men @IndianExpress

— Ananthakrishnan G (@axidentaljourno) October 6, 2020

The Shiv Sena has questioned the Centre for providing security to actress Kangana Ranat but not to the family of the Hathras victim. In an editorial in its mouthpiece Saamna, the Sena said: "The Centre gave Y-plus security cover to an actress from Mumbai, but the family of the Hathras gangrape victim does not get any. This is not the principle of equal justice. This justice is not in line with Dr Ambedkars Constitution." Read more here

The New Delhi unit of the Kerala Union of Working Journalists has written to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath urging him to ensure the release of two journalists who were taken into custody on Monday. The journalists, including Siddique Kappan, the secretary of the organisation, was en route Hathras on Monday morning to cover the case when they were stopped by the police at the Hathras toll plaza.

"Our efforts and the efforts by some advocates based in Delhi to contact him were not successful. The Hathras Police Station and the State Police department has not provided any information so far on taking him into custody," president of the association Miji Jose said. "Siddique was trying to do his duty as a reporter.

The UP Police, on the other hand, said it had arrested four people, including Siddique, for links with the Popular Front of India. Officials siezed their mobile phones, laptops and some literature from them, reported PTI.

The Uttar Pradesh government's affidavit in the Sureme Court seeks to highlight "role of social media, certain sections of print and electronic media along with some sections of the political parties in making a deliberate and planned attempt to incite caste/communal riots in the state using the” incident."

Affidavit seeks to highlight “role of social media, certain sections of print and electronic media along with some sections of the political parties in making a deliberate and planned attempt to incite caste/communal riots in the state using the” incident. @IndianExpress

— Ananthakrishnan G (@axidentaljourno) October 6, 2020

The Uttar Pradesh government tells the Supreme Court that despite its diligent probe in the Hathras case, "different false narrative started gaining momentum at the behest of some vested interests". It added that it recommended a CBI probe in the case as it "will ensure that no vested interests will be able to create a fake & false narrative with oblique motives".

Says it has recommended CBI probe and this “will ensure that no vested interests will be able to create a fake & false narrative with oblique motives”. @IndianExpress

— Ananthakrishnan G (@axidentaljourno) October 6, 2020

The Uttar Pradesh government has filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court on the Hathras case. It has stated that it was "forced" to cremate the victim's body at night due to "extraordinary circumstances and a sequence of unlawful incidents". It also claims the cremation was done "in the presence of family members who agreed to attend to avoid further violence".

The Indian Express reported on October 1 that the hurried cremation of the body was marked by a disregard to protocol and heavy handedness by a police force that did not let her family perform her last rites.

The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike Pourakarmika Sangha held a black band protest this morning to express solidarity with the family of the 19-year-old woman from Uttar Pradesh's Hathras, who was allegedly gangraped and murdered last month

The Bruhat #Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike Pourakarmika Sangha held a black band protest on Tuesday to express solidarity with the family of the 20-year-old girl from #Hathras, Uttar Pradesh who was allegedly gang-raped and murdered. @IndianExpress pic.twitter.com/D1p1S8pkCz

— Darshan Devaiah B P (@DarshanDevaiahB) October 6, 2020

Good morning. Today we will bring you the latest updates on the Hathras case and the protests that have erupted in several parts of the country over the alleged gangrape and murder of a 19-year Dalit woman by four upper caste men. The Supreme Court is expected to take up for hearing today a writ petition seeking a CBI or SIT probe into the case. The petitioners have also sought that the trial be moved to Delhi. 

Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party (JKNPP) on Monday staged a protest here over the alleged gang-rape of a Dalit woman in Uttar Pradesh's Hathras district and demanded a Supreme Court monitored probe into the incident. A large number of JKNPP activists including women led by party chairman and former minister Harsh Dev Singh assembled outside party headquarters at Gandhi Nagar and raised slogans demanding capital punishment to the culprits involved in the gang-rape. --PTI

Activists of Left-affiliated organisations and citizens on Monday burnt the effigy of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath at Jantar Mantar over the injustice towards the family of the Hathras victim. They also demanded Adityanath's resignation over "mishandling" of the case. Protesters wearing masks gathered at Jantar Mantar holding placards that read "End rape culture," "Dalit lives matter", "Educate Organise Agitate" among others, reported PTI.

Hathras BJP MP Rajvir Singh Diler Sunday visited the Aligarh jail where the four accused in the gang-rape and murder case of a Dalit woman are lodged, but said he had not gone there to meet any inmate and that he was invited by the jailor for a cup of tea. His visit prompted a strong reaction from the Congress which said it was "most objectionable" for the MP to do so. Talking to newspersons after his visit to the jail, Diler said he had gone to meet the Aligarh Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), but on finding that the officer was down with COVID-19 he did not meet him. "I had gone to the SSP's residence for some works of my supporters," Diler said. The MP claimed when he was returning, he was stopped by some people of his constituency and when he was talking to them the jailor invited him to his office for a cup of tea." --PTI

The Congress on Monday demanded the dismissal of the Hathras district magistrate for allegedly threatening the victim's family and asked why the SIT was continuing with its investigation when a CBI probe has been sought by the Uttar Pradesh government, PTI reported. The Congress also asked why a judicial probe should not be held to ascertain whether the body allegedly burnt by the cops in the middle of the night is of the victim.

"The Yogi Adityanath government must immediately dismiss the DM, who is on record, on a video threatening the family and he should not be given any other position till it is thoroughly investigated that at whose instructions and whose behest did the DM go to the victim's family and threatened them in the manner that he did," Congress spokesperson Sushmita Dev said. On Sunday, the Congress had demanded that the DM be suspended.

The deaths of two Dalit women after they were allegedly gangraped in Hathras and Balrampur are likely to figure during the campaign for the seven assembly seats in Uttar Pradesh for which bypolls are to be held next month. According to estimates, the state's population comprises around 20 per cent Dalits. With their support, the BSP had formed the government in the state in 2007. In 2017, BJP formed a majority government and in 2012 the SP had formed the government by denting the BSP's Dalit votebank, post-election analysis had revealed. Of the 84 seats reserved in UP for SC and ST candidates, the BJP won 69 seats in the 2017 assembly elections, in the 2012 polls the SP had got 58 of these seats and in 2007 the BSP had secured 62 reserved seats. --PTI

Poet Munawwar Rana's daughter on Monday claimed that she has been put under house arrest after she tried to put up posters against the alleged gangrape of a Dalit woman in Hathras, but the police disputed the charge, reported PTI. "The CM had directed to put up posters of those involved in crime against women at public places. I have some posters on Hathras incident. These posters are to be put near Clock Tower and other areas but police put me under house arrest on Sunday," Sumaiyya Rana told PTI. "On Sunday, from 7 pm till 2.30 am, police force was deputed outside my apartment and I was stopped from coming out. On Monday also, some policemen were deployed and they were directed that I should not move out (of the residence)," she said.

Kaiserbagh SHO Dinanath Mishra however denied the allegation and said she was "going to participate in a procession and she was asked to not do so without permission."

Security beefed up in Hathras village.

A joint delegation of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and the Communist Party of India (CPI) will visit Hathras in Uttar Pradesh on October 6 to meet the victim's family members, party leaders said on Monday. The delegation will comprise Sitaram Yechury, General Secretary, CPI(M) D Raja, General Secretary CPI, Brinda Karat, Member, Politburo CPI(M) Amarjeet Kaur, National Secretary, CPI, Hiralal Yadav, Secretary, UP State Committee, CPI(M) and Girish Sharma, UP State Secretary, CPI, reported PTI.

AAP leader Sanjay Singh rushed to his vehicle after being attacked with ink.

AAP leader Sanjay Singh attacked with ink in Hathras village.

AAP leader Sanjay Singh attacked with ink in #hathras village. pic.twitter.com/uSEm7e3OIa

— Amil Bhatnagar (@AmilwithanL) October 5, 2020

Calling for attention towards sexual violence cases against women and girls in India, the UN in India said the alleged rape and murder in Uttar Pradesh's Hathras and Balarampur are a reminder that those from disadvantaged social groups are at a greater risk of gender-based violence.

In a statement, the UN in India said it is essential that authorities ensure that perpetrators are brought to justice speedily and that the families are empowered to seek timely justice, social support, counselling, healthcare and rehabilitation. "The recent cases of alleged rape and murder in Hathras and Balarampur are another reminder that despite the impressive progress made on a number of social indicators, women and girls from disadvantaged social groups face additional vulnerabilities and are at greater risk of gender-based violence," PTI quoted UN as saying.

Congress workers stage protest in Mumbai against the alleged gangrape in Hathras.

Maharashtra: Congress workers stage protest in Mumbai against the alleged gangrape of a woman in #Hathras (Uttar Pradesh). pic.twitter.com/CAUPawwiQl

— ANI (@ANI) October 5, 2020

Congress protests underway in Ahmedabad on Monday.

The Uttar Pradesh Police claimed they have uncovered an “international plot” to instigate riots along caste lines and defame the Yogi Adityanath government in connection with the Hathras case. On Sunday, an FIR was registered  against unidentified persons at the Chandpa Police Station in Hathras under several stringent sections of the IPC, including sedition. According to sources, a website, justiceforhathrasvictim.carrd.co, which has information on how to protest safely and avoid the police, has been linked to the conspiracy. The site also lists dos and don’ts on how to stay safe during riots and in situations when police fire tear gas. Most of the content has been lifted from literature being shared online by Black Lives Matters protesters in the United States of America. Click here to read more.

Senior Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on Monday questioned the "silence" of Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the Hathras incident, and said he should coin a new slogan 'shut up India, hush up India' instead of 'Sabka Sath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Viswas' as "his hypocrisy has been exposed". "Modi Ji used to remain vocal in each and every issue from Local to Global but still remains mute on the heart-wrenching incident of Hathras, What is happened to u (you) Modi Ji? Where is your "Sabka Sath, Sabka Vikash Sabka Viswash?" Hypocracy (hypocrisy) has been exposed after Hathras," he tweeted.

(1/2) Modi ji used to remain Vocal in each and every issue from Local to Global but still remains mute on the heart wrenching incident of Hathras, What is happened to u Modi ji? Where is your "Sabka Sath, Sabka Vikash Sabka Viswash?" Hypocracy has been exposed after Hathras,

— Adhir Chowdhury (@adhirrcinc) October 4, 2020

Mahila Congress workers in Maharashtra are protesting against the Hathras case. 

????? ????? ?????????? ??????????? ????? ?????????? ????????? ?????? ?????? ???????? ?????????? ????? ?????? ??????? ??????? ???????????? ???????? ???? #SatyagrahaForOurDaughters ?????? ??????? ???... @bb_thorat @charulata_tokas @MahilaCongress pic.twitter.com/1dEMwQ5loE

— Maharashtra Pradesh Mahila Congress (@MaharashtraPMC) October 5, 2020

Meanwhile, a 22-year-old Nepalese woman travelled all the way from Lucknow to file a rape case in Nagpur in Maharashtra against a man, PTI reported. Since the man warned her against approaching police in connection with the alleged offence that took place in the Uttar Pradesh capital, the woman fled from there and somehow managed to reach Nagpur, located over 800 km from Lucknow. She came to a friend in Nagpur who helped her in lodging a zero FIR, they said. Click here to read more. 

Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi's supporters wave party flags near his car on the DND Flyway, while he was on the way to Hathras, on October 1. (PTI)

The Gautam Buddh Nagar Police has registered an FIR against over 500 Congress workers, charging them with unlawful assembly two days ago at the Delhi-Uttar Pradesh border in Noida amid the pandemic, PTI reported. The FIR has been registered against Congress' Gautam Buddh Nagar unit president Manoj Chaudhary, Noida unit chief Shahabuddin and 500 unnamed party workers, the police officials said. According to the FIR lodged a little earlier before midnight on October 3, the Congress workers have been booked under IPC sections 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant), 269 (unlawfully or negligently spreading infection of any disease dangerous to life), 270 (malignant act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) and under section 3 of the Epidemic Diseases Act. The FIR has been lodged on a complaint by Rakesh Kumar Singh, the SHO of the Sector 20 police station.

A section of safai karamcharis of the Municipal Corporation — from the Valmiki community — have been on strike in Agra since September 30 to demand justice for the Hathras victim. According to corporation officials, the Valmiki community gave a call for a strike on September 30, after which 5,000 of its members, employed as sweepers, garbage collectors and garbage van drivers refused to report to work across the city. The strike took a confrontational turn on Saturday, with members of the Valmiki community damaging eight of the corporation’s garbage collection vehicles and allegedly pelting stones at policemen near the Kothi Meena Bazar area, where the corporation office is located. Some protesters were injured as police resorted to lathicharge. Read more here. 

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLAs in Punjab will today visit Hathras village to meet the kin of the deceased woman. Leader of Opposition Harpal Singh Cheema, along with MLAs Rupinder Kaur Ruby, Baldev Singh Jaito, Manjit Singh Bilaspur and Kulwant Singh Pandori, are expected to meet the kin this afternoon.

After visiting the kin of the deceased woman, Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad told reporters: “The family is not safe in the village. When (actor) Kangana Ranaut can get Y-category security, why can’t this family? Mahapanchayats are being held every 2 km in favour of the accused. There is stone-pelting happening. I want to take the family with me as they are not safe here.” Click here to read more.

Uttar Pradesh police personnel continue to keep an eye on Hathras village on Sunday.

A day after the UP government said it would hand over the probe into the Hathras case to the CBI, the victim’s village witnessed a flurry of visits and protests, including a meeting called by former BJP Hathras MLA Rajveer Singh Pehelwan in support of the four upper-caste men arrested in the case. Over 500 people attended the meeting held on the premises of a guest house where Pehelwan was staying on the outskirts of the village. They raised slogans in support of the accused and demanded “justice” for them. Pehelwan said the meeting was held to “welcome” the decision to hold a CBI inquiry in the case and narco tests of all involved, including the accused, the victim’s family and police officers.

An FIR was registererd against Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad and 400-500 unnamed people under multiple sections of the Indian Penal Code and Epidemic Diseases Act, for violation of Section 144 CrPC, during his visit to Hathras on Sunday. “Police told Azad and his supporters that due to the Epidemic Diseases Act and implementation of Section 144 in the area, a large gathering was likely to facilitate the spread of coronavirus. The police told them that the movement of ambulances and emergency service would be impacted with the gathering. But the supporters sat on the roads despite orders near Sasni Police Station,” the FIR read. Click here to read more. 

The Chief Medical Officer of Aligarh Muslim University’s (AMU’s) Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, where the 19-year-old Hathras victim was admitted for two weeks, has told The Indian Express that the FSL report — which Uttar Pradesh Police has relied on to say she was not raped — “holds no value”. “The samples were collected 11 days after the woman was allegedly raped, while government guidelines strictly say forensic evidence can only be found up to 96 hours after the incident. This report can’t confirm rape in this incident,” Dr Azeem Malik, the CMO, told The Indian Express. The Dalit woman had been assaulted, allegedly by four upper caste men, on September 14, and was able to provide the details of the alleged sexual assault after she regained consciousness at the AMU hospital on September 22. After her statement was recorded before a magistrate, police had added relevant sections of rape to the FIR. Read more here. 

The Congress on Monday will stage ‘satyagraha’ in the district headquarters of states across the country to demand justice for the Hathras woman who was allegedly gangraped and killed by four upper caste men last week. “The Pradesh Congress Committees will be organising silent Satyagraha sit-in, at Mahatma Gandhi/Ambedkar statues and any other place of significance, against the brutal and arbitrary actions of the UP Government, demanding justice for the victim and her family,” AICC general secretary, Organisation, KC Venugopal said in a statement on Sunday. Follow our blog for all the latest updates.