Lucknow: Under fire from several quarters and facing nationwide outrage for the handling of the alleged gang rape and murder of a teenaged girl in Hathras, Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath recommended a CBI probe on Saturday.
The 19-year-old Dalit girl was brutally assaulted on September 14 and succumbed to her injuries a fortnight later in a Delhi hospital.
Yogi’s recommendation came just hours after the state’s Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Awanish Awasthi and Director General of Police HC Awasthi met the victim’s family at their home.
“Chief Minister @myogiadityanath Ji has ordered the CBI to conduct a probe into the entire Hathras case,” the chief minister’s office tweeted.
The girl’s family members, however, weren’t too happy and demanded a Supreme Court-monitored inquiry. They were livid with the way local police cremated the girl in the dead of night without informing them.
DGP Awasthi informed that the Special Investigation Team (SIT), which the state government had set up three days ago, will look into all issues raised by victim’s family, and that strictest action will be taken against the culprits.
A decision has also been taken for providing security permanently in the village, the senior official said.
“The SIT inquiry is on and it will continue to do its work. The family members have raised certain issues. Whatever points and the complaints they have raised, the SIT will note them, and we will make all efforts to ensure that each of them is addressed,” Awasthi said.
The state administration earlier in the day gave permission to Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra to meet the family. “The family couldn’t see their daughter for one last time. UP CM should understand his responsibility. Till the time justice is delivered, we’ll continue this fight,” Priyanka told reporters after meeting the family.
This was the Congress leaders’ second attempt to reach Hathras – the first, on Thursday, ended in a scuffle after UP police refused to let them visit Hathras village.
Also Read: Hathras Gang Rape: Yogi Acts On SIT Report, Suspends SP And Two Others
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