Five Indian police officers were suspended on Friday, October 2, for trying to cover up the case of the gang rape of a young woman which caused her death.

A case that sparked outrage in the country, where major demonstrations were organized.

The 19-year-old girl was attacked as she went to look for fodder near her village of Bool Garhi in Hathras district.

Paralyzed from her injuries, she died on Tuesday in a hospital in the capital, New Delhi.

Police official says autopsy does not show rape

Local police have come under heavy criticism for burning the young woman's body in the middle of the night.

A decision taken against the will of his family, according to them.

Outrage escalated further when a police official claimed the autopsy showed no rape, contrary to what the hospital report made clear.

An expert explained that the autopsy performed on the return of the young woman's body to the site was probably too late.

The girl belonged to the class of Dalits, formerly called "Untouchables", the lowest caste in the rigid caste system, still very present in India despite its official abolition in 1950.

Hundreds of police surrounded the village to prevent journalists, politicians and demonstrators from accessing it, and to prevent the family from any outside contact.

According to relatives, she also confiscated their mobile phones.

Four higher caste men charged with gang rape and murder

Police eventually arrested four men, belonging to a higher caste, who were charged with gang rape and murder.

The outrage over this case and that of another young woman, raped by two men and died on Thursday on her way to the hospital, sparked major protests demanding the protection of both women and Dalits.

The head of state of Uttar Pradesh, Yogi Adityanath, announced on Friday evening the suspension of the chief of the local police force and four other police officers.

The Hindu monk, close to Hindu Nationalist Prime Minister Narendra Modi, also announced that the victim's family, the defendants and the suspended police should all pass a lie detector test and undergo tests to verify that they were not drugs.

With AFP

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