TMC delegation led by Derek O'Brien stopped at border; just 1.5 km from Hathras victim's home

Lucknow, Oct 02: A delegation of Trinamool MPs has been stopped by UP Police from entering Hathras, the party said in a statement released on Friday.

"A delegation of Trinamool MPs that traveled about 200 kms from Delhi has been stopped by UP Police from entering Hathras," a statement by the party said, adding they "were traveling separately to express solidarity with the grieving family and convey their condolences".

Nirbhaya’s lawyer not allowed to meet Hathras victim’s family

Trinamool MPs Derek O'Brien, Dr Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, Pratima Mondal and ex-MP Mamata Thakur were stopped by the UP Police, the party alleged.

"We are peacefully proceeding to Hathras to meet the family and pay our condolences. We are traveling individually and maintaining all protocols. We are not armed. Why are we stopped? What kind of jungle raj is this that elected MPs are prevented from meeting a grieving family. At this moment, we are just 1.5 km from the victim's home in Hathras," the statement quoted one of the MPs as saying.

The 19-year-old woman was allegedly raped at a village in Hathras by four men on September 14. After her condition deteriorated, she was referred to the Delhi''s Safdarjung hospital where she breathed her last on Tuesday.

She was cremated in the early hours of Wednesday, with her family alleging the local police forced them to conduct the last rites in the dead of the night.