Victim's family members suffered a shock and were upset at the acquittal of the accused. They, however, will move the High Court against the local court verdict

Team Clarion

LUCKNOW — Three out of four accused in the 2020 Hathras gang-rape and murder case were acquitted by an SC/ST court and held one person guilty.

The court announced that out of the four accused, Sandeep, Ravi, Luv Kush and Ramu, only Sandeep has been held guilty of the crime, reports IANS.

The case pertains to the alleged gang-rape and murder of a 19-year-old Dalit woman by four upper-caste men in Bulgarhi village in Uttar Pradesh’s Hathras district on September 14, 2020.

She died two weeks later, on September 29, in Delhi’s Safdarjung Hospital during treatment.

The victim was cremated near her home in the middle of the night against the wishes of the family by the Uttar Pradesh police and district administration sparking a nation-wide protest. Her family had alleged that they were forced by the local police to hurriedly conduct her last rites.

Local police officers, however, said the cremation was carried out “as per the wishes of the family”.

The court’s verdict setting free the three accused, however, gave a severe blow to the victim’s family.

According to agency report, the victim’s family said that they were upset at the acquittal and would soon move high court, challenging the lower court’s decision.