The Uttar Pradesh government on Friday suspended five policemen in Hathras district amid nationwide outrage over the alleged gang-rape and murder of a 20-year old woman by a group of men from a so-called upper caste community. The arrestees also include a Superintendent of Police.

Special Investigation Team (SIT) who is probing the incident called for their suspension over allegations of mismanagement. A lie-detector test have also been asked by the investigators of all those involved in the incident including the arrested suspects and the family of the victim.

The 20-year old woman, who succumbed to her injuries on Tuesday, was hastily cremated past midnight by the police without the presence of the young woman's family.

Protests erupted across the country including one in Delhi that was attended by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and also Chandrashekhar Azad, chief of the Bhim Army which represents members of the Dalit community, to which the young woman belonged.

The police action in the case, including the furtive cremation and the curbs in the village to block the media and politicians, has been heavily criticised.

Senior state police Prashant Kumar said on Thursday that the woman died due to a neck injury, adding that "No sperm was found in her forensic samples".

The victim's family however pressed on the fact that the woman died due to brutal sexual assault.