Spokesperson: Smt. Alka Lamba: All-India Mahila Congress President Ms. Alka Lamba launched a sharp attack on the BJP-led Uttar Pradesh government over the 2020 Hathras gangrape case, alleging that a newly released crime documentary titled “Hathras 16 Days” exposed systematic efforts by the administration and police to destroy evidence and deny justice to the Dalit victim’s family. She said that the documentary raised “serious and disturbing questions” about the conduct of police, district administration and the state government during the investigation into the Hathras case. Ms. Alka Lamba recalled that the Dalit victim was gangraped on September 14, 2020, and later died at Delhi’s Safdarjung Hospital on September 29. She further said that the victim’s body was burnt by pouring petrol by the authorities in the dead of the night at around 2:30 am on September 30 without the family’s consent or presence.

Referring to the documentary, she pointed out that statements by a gynaecologist and a former senior police official indicated that crucial forensic evidence was either destroyed or collected after substantial delay.

She said that the documentary included remarks from former Uttar Pradesh ADGP (Law and Order) Prashant Kumar acknowledging lapses in police handling of the case. “The system failed the victim. Had the investigation into the Hathras case been conducted properly and the culprits punished, it would have set a precedent and instilled fear among criminals,” she said.

Targeting the BJP government, she claimed crimes against women continued to rise in Uttar Pradesh and cited National Crime Records Bureau data to argue that the state remained at top in crimes against women. Thursday, May 21, 2026