India outraged after rape victim’s body cremated ‘without family’s consent’

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Outrage has erupted across India after a woman from the country’s lowest caste was gang raped, left for dead, and allegedly cremated by police without her family’s consent. Reporter footage showed an argument ensuing between police, the family, and a crowd of villagers, some of whom tried to block the ambulance and reportedly asked: “Are you under political pressure?” The family attempted to rebuff police insistence that they attend her cremation in the middle of the night, according to the victim’s brother, pleading with them to allow them to perform her last rites in the morning after rituals at home. We don’t even know if the person they cremated was my sister.” Police and other officials rejected these allegations, which prime minister Narendra Modi’s ruling BJP party officials dismissed as “propaganda”, one tweeting: “Instead of spreading fake rumours to build political narratives, let us concentrate on ensuring.” But the alleged denial of the victim’s last rites sparked further rage across the nation, and led to demands for the resignation of the state’s chief minister Yogi Adityanath, a hardline Hindu priest belonging to Mr Modi’s BJP party. Samajwadi Party general secretary Ram Gopal Yadav claimed that the woman’s body had not been given to the family so authorities could “manipulate the incident and later prove that she wasn't raped”, adding: “Because the prime accused belongs to Yogi Adityanath's caste, he won't be punished.” Mr Adityanath has ordered a special investigation team to handle the case and said it will be tried in a fast-track court.