The 19-year-old Dalit woman who was allegedly raped by four upper-caste men in Hathras district in northern India was cremated by Uttar Pradesh police.

Reportedly, the victim was grievously injured and died in a Delhi hospital after fighting for her life for two weeks.

Local journalist Abhishek Mathur, who witnessed the cremation from a distance, told the BBC that the police kept her family and media away from the funeral pyre.

Her body was brought to their village in Uttar Pradesh state around midnight. The victim’s brother said that police officials were putting pressure on the family to cremate her immediately.

“When we refused, they took the body in an ambulance and cremated her,” he said.

Activists say police must explain why they took the “inhumane decision”.

Her attackers have been arrested and a fast-track court has been set up to immediately begin hearing the case.