Scores of people held a caste-based meeting Sunday outside the house of a former BJP MLA in Hathras where they defended the accused in the alleged gangrape of a Dalit woman who later died, and demanded registration of an FIR against her family members.
The meeting was held a day after UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath ordered a CBI probe into the incident. Heavy police force was deployed in the vicinity of the former BJP MLA’s house, located around 8-9 kilometres from the victim’s village.
One of the organisers of the meeting and Pehalvan’s son Manveer Singh, however, denied that the gathering comprised members from the so-called upper castes and said they were from different sections of society.
We welcome the CBI inquiry ordered by the Uttar Pradesh chief minister. We have faith in the investigation, Singh told PTI.