After being stopped by the administration, Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra today started a foot-march on the highway between Delhi and Uttar Pradesh to reach Hathras and meet the family of gang rape victim.

Gandhis’ SUV had crossed the border, but their convoy was stopped at Greater Noida, which is about 142 km to Hathras.

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They then got off the vehicle and started walking with scores of Congress workers.

Ahead of the visit of Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi to meet the family of gang rape victim at Uttar Pradesh Hathras on Thursday, the administration had banned large gatherings and put up barricades and sealed the borders citing the coronavirus.

As per the reports, Section 144 has been imposed the in district.

The ban has been in place since September 1 and has been extended to October 31, an official said, reported NDTV.

A senior official claimed several policemen had shown Covid symptoms. Since morning, the media has also been barred from the woman’s village.

The incident led to a nationwide outrage after the dead-of-night cremation of the girl by the UP police. The girl died on Tuesday evening in Delhi’s Safdrajung Hospital, where she was shifted on Monday from district hospital in Aligarh.

The victim had suffered from multiple fracture, paralysis and had difficulties in breathing by a neck injury in the assault. The police have also said that there was a gash in her tongue as she had bitten it when then four assaulters tried to strangle her.

The incident has triggered public anger and the Yogi Adityanath led UP government has come under attack from the opposition over recent crimes against women.

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi had earlier attacked the UP government and said that Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had  ‘no moral right’ to continue in office. She also said that she had been on the phone with victim’s father when he learnt about her death.

In her series of tweets she said: “I was on the phone with the Hathras victim’s father when he was informed that his daughter had passed away. I heard him cry out in despair,”

“He had just been telling me that all he wanted was justice for his child. Last night he was robbed of the chance to take his daughter home for the last time and perform her last rites.” she further added.

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi said: “All this is a shameful move of the UP government to suppress the Dalits and show them their ”place” in the society. Our fight is against this hateful thinking.”