Hathras gang-rape: Yogi govt gives SIT 10 more days to submit report

The Yogi Adityanath government on Wednesday (October 7) extended time given to the Special Investigation Team (SIT), constituted to probe the Hathras incident, to submit its report by the next 10 days.

“Yes…the time for submitting report for the SIT has been extended by 10 days,” Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Awanish Kumar Awasthi told PTI.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Adityanath had ordered an SIT probe into the gang-rape of a 19-year-old Dalit woman in Hathras, following massive public outcry over her death on September 29, two weeks after the incident. The team was expected to give its final report within seven days – on October 7.

Related news: Hathras victim’s kin offered ₹50 lakh to lie: UP police

The Uttar Pradesh police had forcefully cremated the victim body at 2.30 am while her family was locked up in their house in Hathras.

The three-member team had visited the woman’s village in Hathras and the crime scene, and the place where she was cremated, on Tuesday.

The team comprises Uttar Pradesh Home Secretary Bhagwan Swaroop, Deputy Inspector General of Police Chandraprakash and IPS officer Poonam.

The team had said that it its probe will be completed by Wednesday and it may need a couple of more days to submit its report.

Related news: Hathras rape: UP police defend 2 am funeral, say it was to avoid violence

Defending the late night cremation of the victim, the Uttar Pradesh government on Tuesday had told the Supreme Court that the action was taken to avoid “large-scale violence” the next morning.

The woman was gang-raped on September 14 allegedly by four Upper Caste men while she was working in the fields. She had sustained severe injuries due to the assault.