Hathras (Uttar Pradesh), Mar 24 (IANS): Family members of the Hathras gang rape and murder victim will not appear for hearing in the case at the district court here on Wednesday.

According to Seema Kushwaha, counsel for the victim's family, "Family members of the victim and I have decided to not attend court proceedings on Wednesday due to security concerns. On my behalf, an application will be submitted in the court informing it about the decision."

Khushwaha travels to Hathras from Delhi for court proceedings on every hearing.

On March 5, a group of people allegedly threatened the victim's family and their counsel in the court room after which the Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad High Court ordered the Hathras district judge to submit a report on the incident.

During the last hearing in Lucknow (on March 19), the CBI had submitted an application in the court seeking transfer of the case from Hathras to any other court in the state. "Now, the high court will decide what to do in the next hearing," Seema said.

A Dalit woman was gang raped by four men in Hathras district on September 14. She died early on September 29 and a national outrage followed after her body was hurriedly cremated by the local administration in the dead of the night, without her family's consent.