A Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court on Thursday took suo motu cognisance of the Hathras incident where a 19-year-old Dalit woman died after being allegedly raped by four men. The court also sought response from the top government officials, PTI reported.  

A bench of justices Rajan Roy and Jaspreet Singh issued summons to the Uttar Pradesh Additional Chief Secretary, DGP and ADGP, asking them to appear before the court on October 12 to explain the case.

Quoting Mahatma Gandhi on the eve of his birth anniversary, the division bench expressed its dismay at the ground realities. “This is a time to strengthen our resolve to live up to the ideas which “Bapu” stood for, but, unfortunately, ground realities are very different from the high values propagated and practised by the Father of our Nation,” the Court said. 

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The bench also ordered the Hathras District Magistrate and senior Superintendent of Police to appear before it. It has asked the officials to come prepared with all the relevant materials and documents to apprise the court of their versions of the incident.

The court, which appeared especially upset about the alleged ‘forced’ cremation also ordered the officials to inform the bench, the latest status of the probe. 

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The bench also asked the victim’s parent to appear before the court and ordered the Hathras district administration to arrange for their travel. 

The Court also quoted Oscar Wilde. “Death must be so beautiful. To lie in the soft brown earth, with the grasses wearing above one’s head, and listen to silence. To have no yesterday, and no tomorrow. To forget time, to forget life, to be at peace,” the Division Bench wrote. 

The incident has triggered nationwide protest against sexual violence and has led to a deteriorating law and order situation in Uttar Pradesh.