NEW DELHI: Protests took place in various parts of the country on Sunday over the alleged gang-rape and murder case of a 19-year-old Dalit woman in Uttar Pradesh’s Hathras even as the state government suspended senior police officers for negligence in investigating the crime.
Here are the top developments:
Hathras case not a political matter for BJP, says Naqvi
Union minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said that the Hathras case is not a political matter for the BJP, and the party is working sensitively to punish the culprits in the case.
” Hathras incident is not a political matter for us. The matter is very sensitive for BJP and the party is working sensitively, with prior resolve in the case, and whoever is guilty will be punished,” he said.
UP government attempting to hide what happened in Hathras, says Kanimozhi
Condemning the actions of Uttar Pradesh government, DMK MP Kanimozhi Karunanidhi said that the “state is attempting to hide what happened in Hathras.”
Speaking to mediapersons, she also questioned the “attacks” on opposition leaders who were attempting to meet the family of the victim.
“The UP government is trying to hide what happened there (in Hathras). The funeral by police and attack on journalists is strongly condemnable. Moreover, the political leaders who are going there are also being attacked,” she alleged.
Accused defended at meeting held at former BJP MLA’s residence
Scores of people held a meeting on Sunday outside the house of a former BJP MLA in Hathras where they defended the accused in the alleged gangrape of a Dalit woman, and demanded registration of an FIR against her family members.
Heavy police force was deployed in the vicinity of the residence of former BJP MLA Rajvir Singh Pehalvan, located around 8-9 kilometres from the victim’s village.
One of the organisers of the meeting and Pehalvan’s son Manveer Singh denied that the gathering comprised members from the upper castes and said they were from “different sections of society”.
“We welcome the CBI inquiry ordered by the Uttar Pradesh chief minister. We have faith in the investigation,” Singh told PTI while claiming that the victim’s family members were “changing their stand”.
Bhim Army chief demands probe under retired SC judge, Y-security for victim’s family
After visiting the girl’s house, Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad demanded ‘Y level security’ for her family along with a probe in the case under a retired Supreme Court judge.
“I demand ‘Y security’ for the family or I will take them to my house, they are not safe here. If actor Kangna Ranaut can get a Y level security, why can’t they? We also want an inquiry to be done under the supervision of a retired Supreme Court judge,” he said.

Victim’s father falls sick, visiting SIT requests medical team
The father of the 19-year-old Hathras woman fell sick on Sunday, on a day the Special Investigation Team (SIT), probing the murder case, visited their residence to record the statements of the family members. The SIT soon requested a medical team to check on the victim’s father.
UP government is trying to hide what happened in Hathras: DMK’s Kanimozhi
“The funeral by Police and attack on journalists is strongly condemnable. Moreover, the political leaders who are going there are also being attacked,” Kanimozhi Karunanidhi said.
Investigation should be held under a retired SC judge: Victim’s family
The brother of the victim on Sunday said that the family wants the investigation to be held under a retired Supreme Court judge. “We want the Hathras District Magistrate to be suspended, said the brother of the victim in the alleged gangrape case.

SIT visits Hathras village, medical team examines victim’s father
The Special Investigation Team (SIT), probing the Hathras incident, arrived at the victim’s residence on Sunday morning to record the statements of her family members. A medical team also arrived at the residence of the victim’s family, on the request of the SIT following a deterioration in the health of her father.
Victim’s family wants judicial probe, suspension of DM: Priyanka
After meeting the Hathras victim’s family, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Saturday listed their demands: ‘A judicial probe be conducted through the Supreme Court. Hathras DM be suspended and not given a big post. Why our daughter’s body was burnt using petrol without our permission. Why we are being repeatedly misled and threatened. We brought ‘flowers’ from the funeral pyre, but how do we believe that this dead body is that of our daughter?’

She visited the grieving family along with her brother and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi after the two were stopped from meeting the victim’s family on Friday.
Mayawati slams UP govt over ‘mysterious silence’
The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati hit out at the Uttar Pradesh government over its “mysterious silence” on the Hathras incident as the victim’s family has made several serious allegations of intimidation against the District Magistrate.
“The victim family of Hathras gang rape case has made many serious allegations of intimidation etc. against the DM. Nevertheless, the mysterious silence of the Uttar Pradesh government is sad and very worrying,” Mayawati tweeted. She further said, “Although the government has agreed to the CBI investigation, how can this case be investigated objectively while the DM is there? People are apprehensive,” she added.

SP delegation meets family of Hathras woman, assures help
Earlier, a Samajwadi Party delegation met the family of the 19-year-old woman and assured them of all possible help.
The party had alleged that its delegation members were stopped briefly at a toll plaza near Agra by police at the behest of the government when they were on their way to meet the family.
Rape cases can be ‘stopped’ if parents teach daughters to behave: BJP MLA
BJP MLA Surendra Singh on Saturday said that rape cases can be “stopped” if parents teach their daughters to behave “decently”. Such incidents can only be stopped by good values, and not by governance or sword. It is every parent’s dharma to raise their young daughters in a cultured environment and teach them to behave decently, he said.

UP CM suspends senior police officials
Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath has recommended a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation into the case.
The chief minister also suspended Hathras SP Vikrant Veer, three cops posted at Chanda police station at the time of the incident — Sadabad circle officer Ram Shabd, station house officer Dinesh Kumar Verma and sub-inspector Jagveer Singh — along with head moharrir (clerk) Mahesh Pal. Their polygraph and narco-analysis tests have also been recommended.
(With inputs from agencies)
Watch Hathras case: Bhim Army chief demands ‘Y security’ for victim’s family