Hundreds gathered seeking justice for Hathras case victim

New Delhi: Hundreds of people including Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad, their supporters and other leaders from opposition parties also gathered in Delhi’s Jantar Mantar on Friday to demand justice in the alleged gang rape and murder case of a 20-year-old woman in Uttar Pradesh’s Hathras and to protest against the government for as they say not doing enough to stop crime against women.

 “We have assembled here in grief. I pray to God that our daughter’s soul gets peace. I request the Uttar Pradesh government with my hands folded, hang the guilty as soon as possible. They should get such a punishment that no one will dare commit a crime like this again,” Arvind Kejriwal said.

“I will visit #Hathras. Our struggle will continue till the time UP CM doesn’t resign, & justice is served. I urge SC to take cognizance of the incident,”  Azad said in a tweet

The protestors with masks and held candles and placards demanding for justice for the Dalit woman on birth anniversary of Gandhi who always fought for the lower castes. People gathered in Jantar Mantar as the Delhi police imposed restriction on crowds at India Gate.

CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury accused that the silence of the central government and the top leadership of the BJP on such a heinous crime and the response of  UP government thereafter speak volumes about the authoritarian and anti-democratic chehra, chaal, charitra, and chintan of the ruling party.

“The UP government has no right to stay in power. Our demand is that justice should be served,” he added.

The 20-year-old woman, who died on Tuesday, suffered fractures, paralysis and a spinal injury after a savage assault by four men from the so-called upper castes. The police said there was a gash in her tongue because she had bitten it while being strangled.

On Friday evening, the Hathras superintendent of police and four other police officials were suspended after the Special Investigation Team formed to inquire into the case submitted its initial report.