Hathras case: SIT recommends narco, polygraph test of accused, cops, victim’s family

NEW DELHI: In a major crackdown, UP CM Yogi Adityanath, on Friday, suspended
five police officers, including Hathrash Superintendent of Police (SP) Vikrant Vir, in connection with the rape and murder of 19-year-old Dalit girl. Shamli SP Vineet Jaiswal was transferred to Harthras to replace the suspended SP with the directive to take charge with immediate effect. However, no action was taken against district magistrate Praveen Kumar Laxkar so far.

The other four officials to have faced the action included Deputy SP in the rank of CO Ram Shabad, inspector Dinesh Kumar Verma, sub-inspector Jagveer Singh and head constable Mahesh Pal.

The CM cracked the whip on police officials on the basis of the primary report furnished to him by three-member special investigation team (SIT) for laxity in handling the case of the dalit girl. The sources claimed that the SIT, besides finding slackness on the part of the police officials, had also recommended Polygraphic and Narco test of all the cops involved in handling the case, all the accused  and also the family of the victim.

The SIT stayed in Boolgarhi village for over 48 hours and recorded statements of over 100 persons and also met cops. It submitted a preliminary report with its recommendations on Friday.

The SIT was formed on the CM's instructions on September 30.  It was headed by state home secretary Bhagwan Swarup, inspector general Chandraprakash and PAC commandant, Poonam. The team was instructed to submit a report within seven days.

The 19-year old survivor died at Delhi's Safdarjung Hospital on Tuesday. She had suffered multiple fractures, paralysis in a brutal attack on September 14 in Boolgarhi village in  Hathras district.

First she was admitted to local hospital and later shifted to JLN Medical College and Hospital in Aligarh. Later, on September 22, the victim  accused four youths of her village of gangrape. All four
accused were arrested. Later, quoting the FSL, Agra report, the police
claimed that the girl was not assaulted sexually.

Meanwhile, amid nationwide outrage over the case and aspersions over the state government’s intent, senior BJP leader Uma Bharti had urged CM Yogi to allow politicians and media personnel meet the family members of the victim.

“You must have known that I am admitted to the Corona ward of AIIMS after I was found Covid positive. Today is my 7th day here. I have not been able to meet anyone. I was not present at the hearing of special CBI court on Babri Masjid case.

I have not spoken to anyone on telephone as well. But I have been following television news,” the senior BJP leader posted on twitter.  Referring to the Hathras incident, Uma Bharti said she was certain that the CM was handling the situation deftly. “But the way police has locked the victim’s
family offers various scope for debate and apprehension,” the veteran BJP leader
wrote.

“The women belonged to a Dalit family. Police hurriedly conducted her last rites and now the family has been locked down. I don’t know of any rule that prohibits the family of a victim if SIT probe is going on. This will raise question over the SIT probe only,” Uma Bharti tweeted.

In no uncertain terms, Uma Bharti denounced the action of UP Police saying its action would tarnish the image of not only the UP government, but also the BJP government. The BJP leader also alluded to the recent groundbreaking ceremony of the Ram temple in Ayodhya. “We are committed to bring Ram Rajya back in the country,” she wrote.

“Your image as the CM is very clean. I would request you to allow media personnel and politicians, including those from the Opposition to meet the family,” the veteran BJP leader wrote.