A 19-year-old Dalit girl from Uttar Pradesh's Hathras district died earlier today after she was gang-raped by four upper caste men. She was admitted to a hospital 15 days ago where she was being treated for severe injuries the men had inflicted on her. According to reports, the men had cut off the young girl's tongue and had damaged her neck and spinal cord.

The incident happened in the Hathras district on September 14, where the victim was allegedly dragged into a field by the four men, gang-raped, and strangled with her duppatta. The 19-year-old was initially admitted to a district hospital 15 days ago before being moved to the Safdarjung Hospital in the national capital. The girl, who had gained consciousness on September 23, named three men, identified as Sandeep, his uncle Ravi and their friend Luv Kush, who were charged with gangrape and attempt to murder, apart from charges under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. The men have been arrested and remanded in judicial custody. The family of the victim has also alleged that the family of the accused man has always harassed and abused Dalits in their village. "They are upper castes and have always called us names. We ignore them. Sandeep is an alcoholic who harasses women, but nobody ever files a complaint," the victim's brother said, according to a report by a news agency.

Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra demanded justice for the girl and tagged Uttar Pradesh's Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. "Law and order in Uttar Pradesh has deteriorated to a great extent. There is no semblance of safety for women. The criminals are committing crimes in the open. @myogiadityanath, you are responsible for the safety of women" she tweeted. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said, "The death of the Hathras victim is shameful for the entire society, the country, and for all governments. It is sad that so many daughters are being sexually assaulted and we have not been able to protect them. The guilty must be hanged at the earliest."

The incident has invited the wrath of people across the country as several of them, including celebrities, have demanded condemned the brutal incident. Virat Kohli tweeted, "What happened in #Hathras is inhumane and goes beyond cruelty. Hope the culprits of this heinous crime will be brought to justice. #JusticeForManishaValmiki." Meanwhile, Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar said, "Angry & Frustrated!Such brutality in #Hathras gangrape.When will this stop?Our laws & their enforcement must be so strict that the mere thought of punishment makes rapists shudder with fear!Hang the culprits.Raise ur voice to safeguard daughters & sisters-its the least we can do."

A 19 year old Dalit girl was brutally gang raped in Uttar Pradesh’s Hathras. Her tongue was cut off. Her spinal cord and neck were damaged. She has now been shifted to Delhi’s Safdarjung hospital. She is fighting for her life. This is no country for women.

— Rohini Singh (@rohini_sgh) September 28, 2020

A 19 year old Dalit girl was brutally gang raped in Uttar Pradesh’s Hathras. Her tongue was cut off. Her spinal cord and neck were damaged. She has now been shifted to Delhi’s Safdarjung hospital. She is fighting for her life. This is no country for women.

— Rohini Singh (@rohini_sgh) September 28, 2020

Angry & Frustrated!Such brutality in #Hathras gangrape.When will this stop?Our laws & their enforcement must be so strict that the mere thought of punishment makes rapists shudder with fear!Hang the culprits.Raise ur voice to safeguard daughters & sisters-its the least we can do

— Akshay Kumar (@akshaykumar) September 29, 2020