A 19-year-old woman raped, Once again the nation has erupted into a roaring protest against the evolving rape culture of the country that took the life of a 19-year-old woman in Hathras, UP. The autopsy report of the hospital in Delhi where she was treated said“injury to the cervical spine by indirect blunt trauma.”
On 14th September, a 19-year-old woman in Hathras went to collect fodder with her mother but she went missing. 4 upper-class men brutally tortured and raped and she was found later by her family, injured. Her spine was broken which caused paralysis, and she was inhumanly strangulated and her tongue was almost cut off by her own teeth when she bit on it while being tortured and raped.
She was admitted to the Aligarh government hospital while she was in tremendous pain. The medical report of the same hospital said: “On the basis of local examination we are of the opinion that there are signs of use of force, however, opinion regarding penetrative intercourse is reserved pending availability of FSL reports.”
Despite the medical reports the rape and assault victim, while being majorly brutalized, she gave her statement on the incident on 22 September and affirmed rape. She was transferred to a hospital where she finally succumbed to her injuries on Tuesday 29th September. The report of 29th September clarifies cervical spine injury. She was given CPR declared, “despite all resuscitative efforts” she succumbed to her suffering on 29th, at 8:55am.
The Hathras incident took a worse turn when on Wednesday her body was held back from her parents and forcefully cremated in the darks of the night by the police. The Dalit woman’s dignity that was robbed of her in life was once again robbed off, in death. Not just that, police and hospitals are denying the charges of rape altogether.
“The post-mortem report says the victim died due to her neck injury. FSL (Forensic Science Laboratory) report hasn’t found sperm in samples, making it clear that some people twisted the matter to stir caste-based tension. Such people will be identified and legal action will be taken,” said Prashant Kumar, a senior UP police officer. Many experts smartly pointed out that the samples were taken way too late to detect any semen.
A plea was moved in the Supreme Court to hand over the case of a brutal murder to CBI or SIT. Three-member Special Investigation Team has been constituted by the UP Government to probe into the matter. Chairman Secretary Home Bhagwan Swaroop, Chandraprakash, Deputy Inspector General of Police and Poonam, Commander in chief, Provincial Armed Constabulary form the SIT.
The case holds an even more sensitive value as it is yet another story of rape as another striking example of casteism in India and how Dalits are repeatedly harassed and mistreated in many areas of our country. The accused who was arrested is actually accused of propagating untouchability in the neighbourhood and mistreating Dalits not just once but several times.
In 21st century when the world is progressing forward India is taking four steps back with its casteism and treatment towards the women of the country. The Hathras Case has again been politicized by people who have condemned the centre government as well as the state. Yogi Adithyanath met the father of the victim and offered his condolences and promised harshest punishment to the criminals. The victim, Manisha was not the first Dalit to have been tortured and raped , but we sure hope this is the last time.
In such a time of trouble, we seek justice. Justice for mistreating a gender and propagating casteism.
