Activist seeks stay on narco test victim's family

Prayagraj (Uttar Pradesh), Oct 4 A social activist, Saket Gokhale, has moved the Allahabad High Court, seeking a stay on the Uttar Pradesh government's decision to conduct narco-analysis test of the victims family in the Hathras case.

In a letter to the Chief Justice of the Allahabad High Court on Saturday, Gokhale has contended that this decision of the state government is not only unlawful, but is also an attempt to coerce the family of the victim.

He has alleged that subjecting the family of the victim to a narco-analysis test goes against all principles of natural justice, as they are neither accused in the case nor have been charged with any offence.

The activist has said that the decision of the state government to conduct the family's narco-analysis test is an attempt to interfere with the proceedings of the high court.

On October 2, the Yogi Adityanath Government had issued a press note stating that "narco-analysis polygraph tests" would be conducted on everyone involved in the case.

The victim's family has already turned down the idea of taking a narco-test saying that they were not lying.

Earlier, on October 1, the Lucknow Bench of Allahabad High Court had taken suo motu cognizance of the case while summoning all the concerned authorities and the victim's family to present their versions of the incident on October 12.

It is alleged that four men had dragged the 19-year-old girl to a field in Hathras district, where they allegedly gang raped her. She was grievously injured. This gruesome incident had taken place on September 14. Subsequently, she died after battling serious injuries for a fortnight.

She was first taken to Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College and Hospital in Aligarh, but later shifted to Safdarjung Hospital in Delhi after her condition deteriorated. She was in a critical condition and on ventilator support and later succumbed to her injuries on September 29.

ADG Prashant Kumar had claimed that the post mortem report had not confirmed rape and the girl had died of assault injuries.

The victim's death has sparked an outrage. Initially, the news of her death prompted many to take to social media and demand justice. But now, nationwide protests have erupted over the death of the gang rape victim of Hathras.

The Yogi Adityanath government, on Saturday night, announced that it was recommending a CBI probe into the incident.

( With inputs from IANS )