Hathras farmer loses crop as CBI probes case, seeks compensation  

A farmer of Boolgarhi village in whose field the 19-year-old Dalit woman was allegedly gang-raped and attacked has suffered monetary loss for no fault of his as the CBI came calling to investigate the crime.

The farmer, who wished not to be named, claimed he 'lost' his standing millet crop after the Central Bureau of Investigation officials cordoned off the 'crime scene' and asked him to keep off the land.

"I have been asked not to irrigate my crop, harvest it or do anything with the crop in our nine bighas of land so that evidence in the crime could be preserved. This means a loss of about Rs 50,000 and months of hard work for my family," he rued while talking to reporters.

The farmer demanded compensation for the loss of his millet crop.

The land owner is a 24-year-old man who works in Jaipur and gives his land to area villagers on 'batai' (contract).

"I returned recently from Jaipur and found that the standing crop had dried because the CBI did not allow farm labourers to irrigate the area. I want the government to compensate me for the losses because I have suffered even though I am not even remotely linked to the crime being probed by CBI," he said.

The police and CBI team have visited the field multiple times to investigate or recreate the crime scene.

"In any case, so many people have trampled upon the crop that nothing remains now," the owner said.

The 19-year-old Dalit woman was allegedly gang-raped and strangled in the field in Boolgarhi village on September 14.

She died at a Delhi hospital on September 29 and her mortal remains were cremated by the police in the dead of the night of September 29-30.