Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra have reached Hathras village and are meeting the family members of the Dalit teenager who died after being brutally assaulted and gangraped.
Earlier today both Rahul and Priyanka were stopped by the Uttar Pradesh police at the UP border in Noida but were soon granted permission along with three others to meet the family members of the rape victim.
The Congress leaders along with several party members had been stopped at the Delhi-Noida (DND) flyover. This was their second attempt to go to the village in Hathras and meet the family members of the rape victim.
About 200 Uttar Pradesh policemen dressed in riot gear had barricaded the entire area.
Strict instructions had been given to the police to not allow the Congress leaders to cross the border. Media visuals coming out from the spot showed a huge police presence at the toll plaza. Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra both left for Hathras from Delhi at around 2.30 pm in a silver Toyota Innova. About 50 Congress MPs including Shashi Tharoor accompanied the Gandhis to meet the family members of the rape victim who are in a complete state of shock.
"Nothing in the world can stop me from going to Hathras to meet this unhappy family to share their pain," Rahul Gandhi had tweeted in the morning.
On Thursday too the Gandhis were stopped at Greater Noida in Uttar Pradesh and taken into custody for a short duration. Rahul Gandhi was also manhandled by the cops in the skirmish.
In videos that emerged from the spot captured Rahul Gandhi saying "Why are you arresting me? What are the grounds for the arrest? What law am I violating".