Six years after the alleged gang rape and death of a 19-year-old Dalit woman in Hathras, Uttar Pradesh—a case that sparked nationwide outrage—filmmaker Patrick Graham, known for shows like Ghoul and Betaal, revisits the tragedy in his investigative documentary Hathras 16 Days. Streaming on Zee5 and produced by DocuBay, the film reconstructs the 16 days following the incident, examining the controversial late-night cremation of the victim, her family’s fight for justice, and questions surrounding the police investigation.
The documentary draws heavily on the reporting of journalist Tanushree Pandey, whose ground coverage became one of the defining accounts of the case. “I’d been talking to Tanushree about working together, and she raised this story,” Graham says. “Although it’s a six-year-old case, it’s still representative of many cases that happen every day.”
For Graham, revisiting Hathras became a process of discovery. He relied heavily on court records, witness statements, and interviews with key stakeholders. “One uncertainty was the lack of hard evidence about exactly what happened,” he says. “A lot of what you suspect is based on intuition and the believability of the people you’re talking to.” The filmmakers also faced challenges accessing all sides of the story; one potential interviewee among the accused’s associates fled before filming could even begin.
Even as the documentary features archival footage from Indian and international media, much of the reporting depended on Pandey’s network and local contacts. “She was instrumental in getting access,” Graham says. Even then, several participants who had initially agreed to appear withdrew at the last minute. Graham is particularly appreciative of local reporters in Hathras. “It’s a reminder of how local journalists are doing amazing work, often at risk to their own personal safety.”
For Graham, revisiting Hathras became a process of discovery. He relied heavily on court records, witness statements, and interviews with key stakeholders
The victim’s family, he notes, continues to live under extraordinary circumstances. Two children in the family are reportedly unable to attend the village school because of security concerns, while CRPF personnel continue to monitor and escort family members. “It’s not a satisfactory permanent solution,” Graham says. “How much taxpayer money goes into maintaining that arrangement when it would be cheaper to rehouse them, as they’ve been asking?”
For Graham, the central failure lies in the investigation. He argues that police did not record the victim’s statement with sufficient diligence, failed to ensure proper medical care, and mishandled crucial forensic procedures. He also believes the case reflects deeper social prejudices. “Presumably, it comes from not caring that much about a person from a marginalised caste being assaulted.”
The filmmaker is careful to distinguish between investigative failures and the judicial process. “There wasn’t enough evidence for prosecution because the police hadn’t gathered the correct evidence at the beginning,” he says. “There’s not a fault in the court process; there’s a fault in the investigation.”
Six years after Hathras shook the nation, Hathras 16 Days remains a reminder of how deeply entrenched caste prejudice, gendered violence, and investigative failures remain in India’s criminal justice system.