India / UP CM gives SIT 10 more days to submit report in Hathras case

New Delhi: The Special Investigation Team (SIT), which is probing the gangrape and murder of a 19-year-old Dalit woman, has been given 10 more days by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to submit its findings on the case. Notably, the SIT was given seven day’s time initially, and it was supposed to submit its report today.

“Following the orders of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, the time given to the Special Investigation Team (SIT) to submit their report to the CM has been extended by 10 days,” Awanish K Awasthi, State Additional Chief Secretary, said on Wednesday.

Earlier, the UP CM had suspended Hathras superintendent of police (SP), deputy superintendent of police (DSP), station inspector and some other officials on the basis of first report by the SIT.

In another development, metal detector gates have been installed outside the victim’s family house in Hathras. A record of entry and departure to the village of all visitors is also being maintained. This comes amid security concerns of the victim’s kins, who were earlier issued threats by “upper-caste” Thakurs.

Meanwhile, in a new twist to the case, the Uttar Pradesh police probe has found that the Dalit teen was in constant telephonic touch with one of the accused, Sandeep Singh, reports said on Wednesday.

The Dalit teen was reportedly sexually attacked by four upper-caste men in Uttar Pradesh’s Hathras. The accused had tried to strangle her to death as she resisted their rape attempt and in the process, she had also ended up biting her tongue and suffering a severe cut on it. The four accused have been arrested.

She lost her life at a Delhi hospital last week.

The body of the victim was cremated at around 3 AM by Uttar Pradesh police last Wednesday. If reports are to be believed, the UP Police had forcibly performed the last rites without giving heed to the family’s repeated requests of bringing the body home first.