Hathras case: Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi in police custody; Allege police lathi-charged them

The Uttar Pradesh Police has taken Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra into custody as they tried to march towards Hathras on Thursday.

The Gandhis were on their way to meet the family members of the 19-year-old Dalit woman who died on Tuesday, days after being allegedly gang-raped and brutally assaulted by four upper caste men.

Noida ADCP Ranvijay Singh said, "We have stopped them (Rahul and Priyanka) here. The Epidemic Act is being violated. We will not allow them to proceed forward."

Visuals from the spot showed a heated exchange between Rahul Gandhi and the police when he asked them under what provisions the police were detaining him.

Speaking to the media earlier, Rahul Gandhi said the police lathicharged and pushed him on the ground.

"Just now police pushed me, lathicharged me and threw me to the ground. I want to ask, can only Modi ji walk in this country? Can't a normal person walk? Our vehicle was stopped, so we started walking," Rahul Gandhi said at the Yamuna Expressway, on his way to Hathras.