'Having to prove my daughter was raped', Hathras victim's mother recounts trauma

(Warning: Story contains some graphic details, reader discretion advised)

The victim's mother remembers two scenes vividly from the day her daughter was gang-raped - her desperately trying to cover her daughter’s lower body and being unable to lift the semi-conscious 19-year-old, Hindustan Times reported.

She had found her daughter bleeding and semi-conscious in a maize field on September 14.

Earlier that day, she, her daughter and son were out finding fodder for their buffaloes. About an hour later, she realised that her daughter was not answering her calls and thought that she had returned home.

However, after finding a lone slipper on the side of the road, she knew something was wrong. She had waded into the maize field and found her daughter with a chunni around her neck.

“She was almost unconscious. Her lower clothes were thrown aside and she was bleeding from her private parts…,” the mother told HT after Uttar Pradesh police allowed the media to visit Bul Garhi on October 3. The victim was also bleeding from her chin, tongue and her eyes were bloodshot.

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Talking to the publication, the victim’s mother said that she didn’t even know the word, rape (in English) and now she is having to prove that her daughter was raped.

After her son reached the location, they carried the victim to the local police station who asked them to go to the hospital after registering a written complaint.

“My mother was with my sister and I wrote whatever I knew. My mother didn't have the heart to tell me that my sister was raped,” said the victim’s brother.

According to the family, on September 17, the victim regained consciousness and mentioned that four men had raped her. On that day itself, the victim’s brothers registered a written complaint however did not receive a copy of the complaint.

This statement is refuted by the police who have said that there was no mention of rape till September 22 when the complaint was officially registered.

Brahm Singh, the Circle Officer, who was allegedly posted there after the crime took place said he was not aware of this development.

The victim succumbed to her injuries in Safdarjung Hospital on September 29. Her body was brought back the same night. According to the family, the police had assured them that they would be able to cremate their daughter at 6 am the next day, however, they suddenly cremated her at 2:30 am without informing the family.

The joint magistrate said that there was video evidence that cremation took place in the presence of her grandfather, uncle and half a dozen relatives.

However, the victim’s brother said, “My grandfather passed away in 2006.”

The family also said that they were "insulted and threatened" by the administration and police following the days after the victim's death.