Some activists argued that mere absence of sperm in the victim’s private parts as claimed in the FSL report was not enough to conclude there was no rape
Clarion India
NEW DELHI– Amid the widespread outrage over the Hathras gang rape, the Uttar Pradesh police on Thursday claimed that the 19-year old victim succumbed to her injuries and she was not raped, citing a report by the forensic science laboratory (FSL).
According to media reports, ADG (Law and Order) Prashant Kumar said that the victim died due to injuries on the neck. “The report of the FSL has also come. It says clearly that samples did not have sperm. It makes clear that there was no rape or gang rape,” Kumar was quoted in media.
“Even the woman in her statement to police did not mention about rape but talked about ‘marpeet’ (beating) only,” he said and blamed the protesters for wrongly presenting the facts “for disturbing social harmony and creating caste violence”.
However, some activists argued that mere absence of sperm in the victim’s private parts as claimed in the FSL report was not enough to conclude there was no rape.
The UP government under public pressure has constituted an SIT to probe the incident. Meanwhile, reports said that the police have arrested three more people and named them in the second FIR lodged by the victim’s family on September 22.
The police have enforced emergency laws in Hathras district reasoning that there are chances of disturbances in law and order. Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka who wanted to visit Hathras were detained when they were on their way to Hathras as the police cited Section 144. Dalit leader Chandrashekhar Azad was also detained when he attempted to reach Hathras.
People have bee staging protest demonstrations at different places condemning the incident. They say that the Yogi government has failed to ensure safety of Dalit women.
