Congress leader Rahul Gandhi visited Bulgadi village in Hathras district to meet the family of a rape victim whose tragic death in 2020 had sparked nationwide outrage. Gandhi held a closed-door meeting with the victim's family, spending over half an hour listening to their grievances.

He refrained from speaking to the media after the meeting and left Hathras shortly afterward.

During the interaction, the family reportedly complained about the conduct of the local Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM). Following this, Rahul Gandhi summoned the SDM, but he did not show up. Gandhi then spoke to the official over the phone in the presence of the grieving family.

Rahul Gandhi's visit to Hathras comes after the victim's father wrote a letter to the Congress leader seeking justice. The letter detailed unfulfilled promises made by the government, including the allocation of a house and a job for the family. “My daughter was gang-raped, her spine was shattered, and her tongue was cut. The administration, without our consent, poured kerosene on her body and burned it," the father alleged in the letter.

The letter further mentions that despite the victim naming all four accused repeatedly, three of them were acquitted. It also described the family’s life as akin to living in a prison, surrounded by CRPF personnel and constantly monitored by the police. “We are not even allowed to work; the police question our every move,” the father claimed.

Rahul Gandhi’s decision to visit was reportedly prompted by the family's desperate plea. He and his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra had earlier met the family on October 3, 2020, promising to fight for justice.

The high-profile visit prompted sharp reactions from Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak, who accused Rahul Gandhi of trying to incite unrest.

“Rahul Gandhi is frustrated and desperate. He seems unaware that the CBI has already investigated the Hathras case, and the matter is now in court,” Pathak remarked. He also highlighted Uttar Pradesh’s progress in law and order and infrastructure, asserting that the state was on its way to becoming the top-ranked state in the country.

Pathak added, "While Uttar Pradesh is witnessing an industrial revolution, Rahul Gandhi is attempting to ignite chaos and riots. I request him to stop playing with the state’s peace."

BJP leader Baldev Singh Aulakh also criticized Gandhi’s visit, questioning its timing and relevance. “The CBI has closed the Hathras case. Why does he want to provoke unrest now? His visits won’t affect Uttar Pradesh as long as Yogi Adityanath is the Chief Minister,” Aulakh asserted. He also accused Gandhi of failing to apologize for past atrocities allegedly committed against Sikhs by his family.

Rahul Gandhi’s visit comes after a special court acquitted three of the four accused in the Hathras case earlier this year, adding a fresh layer of complexity to the politically charged issue.

Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi had met the family on October 3, 2020 and declared they will fight for ensuring justice to the deceased.

The 19-year-old woman was allegedly gangraped on September 14, 2020. She was moved to Aligarh for treatment and later shifted to Delhi where she died. Her body was hurriedly cremated.

Last month, the Congress MP and LoP had tried to go to violence-hit Sambhal district to meet the victim families but was stopped by the state government