New Delhi:

The father and brother of the 20-year-old woman who was gang-raped and tortured by four men in Uttar Pradesh’s Hathras two weeks ago, have been taken away by the cops – in a police vehicle, a black Scorpio with UP number plates – after a vociferous and emotional protest outside the Delhi hospital in which she died this morning.

The young woman’s family, along with a multitude of sympathisers and activists, had camped outside the city’s Safdarjung Hospital after she died, demanding to be told of the location of her body and calling for justice – punishment to the four accused.

According to news agency PTI, security has now been increased outside the hospital, where heated arguments took place between protesters and the police.

Earlier, visuals from the hospital exterior showed hundreds gathered around the Scorpio and, amid shouting and pushing by the protesters, other cops could be seen trying to control the situation.

The family had claimed they were being forced to return to Hathras as the authorities try to dispose of the woman’s body in secret.

The cops had earlier managed to force the woman’s father into the car, but her brother had refused and continued his protests. Later visuals showed the father too had exited the car.

The family had refused to budge till they were told of the whereabouts of the woman’s body and were assured justice – that the four men accused of her gang-rape, torture and now murder will be punished.

The police said the protests had become unmanageable, particularly during the Covid pandemic.

The protesters, the cops said, were not following social distancing rules and few, if any, of them were wearing face masks. The cops also said the families of other patients had voiced concern over the possibility of the virus spreading among them.

The visuals from the hospital showed a lot of confusion and ruckus, making it difficult to identify protesters among the crowd and how they may or may not be behaving.

Hathras: All four attackers, upper caste men from the woman’s village, are in jail

The young woman suffered multiple fractures, paralysis and a deep gash in her tongue in the savage assault compared by many to the 2012 Nirbhaya gang-rape.

Injuries to her neck had left her paralysed and struggling to breathe, doctors said. She bit her tongue when her attackers were trying to strangle her. According to her brothers, even in that critical state, all she wanted was to go home and had said it often in hospital.

News of her death led to the start of protests outside the hospital with the Bhim Army of Chandrashekhar Azad blocking roads for 10-15 minutes and protesters chanting “hang the rapists”. On social media, there has been an outpouring of grief and anger from politicians, celebrities and others.

All four attackers, upper caste men from the woman’s village, are in jail. They will now also be charged with murder.

The woman was attacked on September 14 at her village in Hathras, some 200 km from Delhi.

In her statement to the police, she said she was dragged by her dupatta into the fields from a spot where she had been cutting grass with her mother and brother.

Members of Chandrashekar Azad’s Bhim Army protested outside the hospital earlier today

When the family searched, they found her in the fields, naked and bleeding, with horrific injuries.

“My mother covered her up and we went to the police and lay her down there. Three bones on her neck were broken. She had difficulty breathing… She needed oxygen right from the beginning,” one of the woman’s brothers told NDTV.

“They had raped her. The police did not help us initially… they did not take quick action. They acted only after four-five days,” he said, accusing the police of reacting only after public outrage.

The UP police is under scrutiny over alleged lapses throughout the case. They initially registered an attempted murder case but added rape charges only after the woman’s formal statement.

They have denied the family’s allegation of slow response.

“This is a very unfortunate incident but we have been proactive in making arrests and helping the family in whatever manner possible . I will personally ensure swift investigation and that these men are tried in a fast track court,” Hathras police chief Vikrant Vir told NDTV on Sunday.