Hathras woman was gang-raped, killed, says CBI, names four in chargesheet

The Central Bureau of Investigation on Friday filed its chargesheet in the alleged gangrape and murder case of a Dalit woman at a special SC/ST court. Four upper caste men Sandeep, Luvkush, Ravi and Ramu, who are in judicial custody now, have been charged with gang-rape and murder. The court has taken cognisance of the chargesheet, Munna Singh Pundir, lawyer for the accused, told news agencies.

The chargesheet has been filed under Sections 354, 376 A, 376 D and 302 of IPC and SC/ST Act.

The Dalit woman was allegedly raped by four upper-caste men in Hathras on September 14. She died on September 29 at Delhi’s Safdarjung Hospital during treatment, and was cremated in the dead of night near her home on September 30. Her family alleged they were forced by the local police to hurriedly conduct her last rites. Local police officers, however, said the cremation was carried out “as per the wishes of the family”.

The incident, and the subsequent action of local police in alleged attempt to hush the case, sparked protests and outrage across the country. Facing flak over the handling of the case, the Uttar Pradesh government recommended CBI probe into the case. The central agency initiated the probe in October.

The CBI looked into the role of the four men who were also put through different forensic tests at the Forensic Science Laboratory in Gandhinagar.

Investigators had also met doctors at the Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College and Hospital, where the victim was treated after the alleged gangrape on September 14, before she was brought to Delhi.