Father: DM lied in court about our consent for girl’s cremation

AGRA: With legal proceedings having begun to determine if there was wrongdoing in the way the 19-year-old Dalit girl from Hathras was cremated, her family said on Tuesday that they are counting on the court for justice but won’t immerse her ashes until it’s all over.
“I told the high court that the administration did not allow us to see our daughter’s face one last time,” said the girl’s father, who returned with four other family members at 11 pm after appearing before the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad high court on Monday. The high court had taken suo motu cognizance of the late night cremation. “The DM lied that he had taken permission from the family for cremation … I will not immerse the ashes till I get justice for my daughter.” DM Praveen Laxkar had told the court on Monday that it was his decision to cremate the girl, that there were no instructions from the government and that the family had given its consent.
The victim’s father said the court had given them the space and opportunity to explain what had happened on September 30, the night the police had cremated the girl after she was brought back to her village from the Delhi hospital where she had died. The victim’s elder brother said, “The DM was reprimanded by the court...I am hopeful we will get justice from the court.” The next hearing is on November 2.