Police convoy escorts family to state capital

Lucknow: The five family members of the Hathras victim reached Lucknow under a heavy security blanket on Monday morning. The family started from their village in a police convoy at 5.30am and reached Lucknow around 11:30am. They were accompanied by a sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) and a woman deputy superintendent of police (DySP) apart from a posse of armed policemen. After deposing before the high court, the family left for Hathras at 4.30pm. The family was brought to Lucknow in a motorcade comprising six police vehicles and pilot cars. Initially, the administration had planned to ferry them in the night but the latter agreed to leave Hathras only after daybreak. Seventy police personnel were deployed outside the HC premises while another 50 cops remained deployed at the Uttarakhand Bhawan, which is situated near the high court.Police had made arrangements for the family to take rest at Uttarakhand Bhawan before deposing in the court.The family members along with the security staff were taken inside the Bhawan and not allowed to meet the media waiting outside. Senior officials, including Lucknow Police commissioner Sujeet Pandey, DM Abhishek Prakash and DCP east Charu Nigam inspected the security arrangements outside the Uttarakhand Bhawan. Seema Kushwaha, a Delhi-based lawyer who fought the Nirbhaya case, is representing the family of Hathras victim. She reached Uttarakhand Bhawan at 1pm and interacted briefly with the mediapersons. “The family has three demands which we will put before the HC bench — security for them, trial to be done in Delhi or Mumbai, and details of investigation must not be made public by authorities,” Kushwaha said. Slamming the special investigation team (SIT) for revealing the call details between the accused and the victim’s brother, Kushwaha said a perception is being made to take focus away from the case. Around 12.30pm, police escorted the family members to the high court. Till the time the family was inside the Bhawan, police had barricaded the main entrance.Speaking to reporters after the hearing, Kushwaha said the bench has asked the state government’s reply on why the victim’s body was cremated without the consent of the family which is the basic fundamental right and also why her last rites done at night when it is not deemed a right time in the Hindu religion. Next gearing in the case is on November 2.Additional advocate general, Vinod Shahi, said the family will not be required to appear on next hearing. ADG, law and order, Prashant Kumar and an officer of special secretary rank will appear before the court on the next hearing.