Hathras Case: Peepli Live Again?

There is outrage and anger in the country after the 19-year-old girl from Hathras died in Safdarjung hospital on Tuesday. It was alleged that the girl was gang-raped and brutally assaulted by four boys of the upper caste while the girl belongs to the Dalit community. The initial media reports mentioned that the girl's tongue was slit, her spine was broken at multiple places and she was so seriously injured that she succumbed to her injuries after 15 days after the incident. However, the unseen video of the girl has raised serious questions. 

In the 30 second video, the girl is seen talking and very much conscious. She is describing the incident and not mentioned gang rape. The viral mail also has the very first FIR done by the family on the same day of the incident but this FIR also does not mention rape. 

The media has been reporting full swing on the matter after the girl's death following her dead body from the hospital to her village demanding justice for the girl and taking the UP government, Police, and Hathras administration in the eye of the storm for negligence and forceful cremation of the girl's body. 

The Chief Minister constituted an SIT for the investigation of the matter. While the SIT is collecting evidence and interacting with the villagers, there is a politico-media circus around the girls' village. Meanwhile, the post mortem report and forensic report mention strangulation as the cause of death of the 19-year-old girl, citing the reports ADG law and order Prashant Kumar denied the rape angle. Even after the clarification on rape, the media continues to call the deceased, a rape victim. The SIT might take a week or so to submit the final report on the matter, till then the Hathras village continues to witness another 'Peepli Live'.