Hathras Gangrape: Sexual Assault, Torture And Two Weeks Of Struggle For Life, A Timeline
There is much anger in Uttar Pradesh and the rest of the country, following the death of a 19-year-old Dalit girl, who died nearly two weeks after she was gang-raped by four men in Hathras.
The girl lost her battle for life on Tuesday morning in Safdarjung Hospital in New Delhi, where she was brought for treatment a day earlier.
September 14
It all began on September 14 at a village in Hathras, some 200 km from Delhi. The girl and her mother had gone to cut some grass in the field when she was dragged by her dupatta by the four assailants who then sexually abused her.
Only after some time, the victim's mother realised that her daughter was missing and started searching for her.?The girl was found in an unconscious state, with some serious injuries.?
The victim's spinal cord and neck were damaged in the incident as she was strangled with her dupatta. The accused also allegedly cut off the 19-year-old girl's tongue while assaulting her.??
September 15
She was taken to the AMU's Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College and Hospital in Aligarh the next day.
Though she managed to give her statement to the police days after the incident, initially it was investigated as a case of attempt to murder over some old enmity.
Rape charges added only in FIR on September 24, ten days after crime
On September 24, after the girl's statement, rape charges were added to the FIR and three more people were booked, while one accused, Sandeep was arrested.
Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee Vice President Deepak Kumar met the survivor and alleged that the family was being threatened by the accused as well as the police.
September 26
On September 26, Hathras Superintendent of Police Vikrant Vir said that the four accused named in the rape case were arrested. Hathras Additional Superintendent of Police Prakash Kumar told reporters that originally the accused were charged under section 307 (attempt to murder) of the IPC but after receiving more inputs they were charged under section 376 D (gangrape).
By this time the condition of the victim had further deteriorated and she was put on ventilator support.
September 27
On September 27 the station house officer of Chandpa police station Hathras district was transferred to the district police lines.
On September 27 night, Bhim Army chief Chandrashekar Azad managed to reach to express “solidarity” with the victim after managed to reach the hospital after evading police on his way to Aligarh.
September 28
On September 28, the victim was shifted to the Safdarjung Hospital, Delhi after her condition showed no signs of improvement.
Fakhrul Hoda, head of neurosurgery at the Aligarh hospital where she was being treated, told reporters that "Surgery to fix her spine could only have been done after her condition improved. The damage to the spinal cord appeared to be permanent."
September 29
On September 29, the family said they were informed that the victim has died.
On Tuesday, Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad and his supporters held a protest at Delhi's Safdarjung Hospital, demanding the culprits be sentenced to death.
At the protest, the Bhim Army chief said, "I appeal to all members of the Dalit community to take to the streets and demand death penalty for the guilty. The government should not test our patience. We won't rest until the culprits are hanged."
