Hathras victim's family leave for Lucknow, to appear in court today

Amid tight security, family members of the 19-year-old woman, who died after the alleged assault and gang-rape last month, left for Lucknow on Monday to appear before the Lucknow bench of Allahabad High Court, which has taken suo motu cognizance of the incident.

"I am going with them. Proper security arrangements have been made. District Magistrate (DM) and Superintendent of Police (SP) is also accompanying us," Anjali Ganwar, Sub Divisional Magistrate (SDM) told mediapersons.

On Sunday, Vineet Jaiswal, Superintendent of Police (SP) Hathras said that a Deputy SP rank officer and an (SDM) rank magistrate will be present with the family during their journey to Lucknow.

"Adequate security arrangements have been made. Police is being deployed in the area as a precautionary measure. As per the directions of the High Court, the victim's family will be presented before it on Monday. They will be taken to the High Court with full security. We have assured them that they can contact us whenever they want," Jaiswal had told ANI.

"There is sufficient security for the victim's family. The local police are in touch with the family and nearby villages. Circle Office and SDM conducted peace meeting in the nearby villages and appealed to them not to pay attention to the rumours. Peace is being re-established in the area," he had said.

The victim's brother had said that the family will not travel during the night. "We have made it clear that we will not travel during the night. We have been asked by police to be ready to leave for Lucknow by 5.30 AM tomorrow," he had said.

The 19-year-old had succumbed to her injuries at Delhi's Safdarjung Hospital on September 29 after being assaulted and allegedly gang-raped in Uttar Pradesh's Hathras on September 14.

Jaiswal had further said that no panchayats have taken place there so far. "We are discouraging any such gatherings. The additional police force has been placed there as a precautionary measure," he had added.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has also registered a case against an accused and took up the investigation of the Hathras incident.

A CBI team reached Hathras on Sunday for the investigation in the case. The team has sought some documents from the local administration.

On October 1, the Lucknow bench of Allahabad High Court has taken suo motu cognizance of Hathras incident and has sought response from state DGP and other senior officials.

The Court had sought response from Additional Chief Secretary/Principal Secretary (Home), Director General of Police, Additional Director General, Law and Order and District Magistrate and Superintendent of Police of Hathras by October 12.