Gautam Buddh Nagar police in Uttar Pradesh registered cases against Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, along with over 200 others, under section 188 (disobedience to order by public servant), 269 (unlawfully or negligently spreading the infection of any disease dangerous to life) and 270 (malignant act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) of Indian Penal Code and Epidemic Act, ANI reported. The two were detained after they marched to Hathras district in violation of prohibitory orders.
The Hathras rape incident had heated up on Thursday, with opposition leader Rahul Gandhi detained and "manhandled" mid-protest, and Allahabad High Court summoning top government officials. The two leaders were detained by UP police in Greater Noida, just outside Delhi, when they insisted on marching to Hathras to meet the family of the 19-year-old woman, whose death followed by a hurried cremation triggered nationwide outrage. The two leaders and about 150 party workers were booked and let off after they furnished personal bonds.
There was also a viral physical showdown with the police on the Yamuna Expressway, during which the former Congress president fell on the ground.
The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court also took note, summoning the Uttar Pradesh additional chief secretary, director general of police and additional director general of police on October 12 in connection with the case. Justices Rajan Roy and Jaspreet Singh have also called the victim's parents to have their say in court that day.
The teenage victim succumbed to the severe injuries she suffered when she was brutalised by four men in the fields at her village in Hathras district on September 14. She was cremated in Hathras in the dead of the night with family members saying they were not allowed to bring the body home one last time. But police claimed they had the family's consent for the cremation. The hurried funeral triggered outrage with opposition parties and other groups attacking the BJP government in UP over the state of law and order.
