Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad demands 'Y' category security for Hathras victim’s family

Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad on Sunday demanded a time-bound inquiry by a retired judge of the Supreme Court into the Hathras incident.

He also sought security for the family of the victim.

Azad, who visited the family in Hathras, told reporters that a CBI inquiry would be time-consuming and delay the process of justice.

The Bhim Army chief was initially prevented by police from proceeding to Hathras. He was, however, later allowed to visit the family.

A 19-year-old Dalit woman was allegedly raped at a village in Hathras by four men on September 14. After her condition deteriorated, she was referred to Delhi's Safdarjung hospital where she breathed her last on Tuesday.

She was cremated in the early hours of Wednesday, with her family alleging the local police forced them to conduct the last rites in the dead of the night.

Azad said the family members of the victim should be provided with Y category security as they were feeling "insecure". He said an atmosphere of fear and insecurity was being created in the victim’s village and that the kin of the woman wanted to leave the place.

"If the state authorities do not provide adequate security to the victim's family, then I would have no option but to take them out of the village and keep them in my own house," he asserted.

Heavy security arrangements were made in the village during the Bhim Army chief’s visit.

"… under this government, CBI is only meant for suppressing the voice of opposition, and create fear,” Azad added.