The Hathras victim’s family appeared before the Lucknow bench of Allahabad High Court on Monday, which heard the matter for two hours before posting the next hearing for November 2.

Taking suo motu cognisance of reports of police burning the body of the 19-year-old gangrape-and-murder victim on September 30 without the consent of her parents, the court had on October 1 issued summons to senior administrative and police officers of Uttar Pradesh and also asked the victim’s family to be present before it.

The victim’s parents and officials appeared before the bench of Justice Pankaj Mittal and Justice Rajan Roy.

Seema Kushwaha, counsel for the family, told reporters the bench was concerned about the burning of the girl’s body without the knowledge of her family.

Kushwaha said the court rebuked Uttar Pradesh additional director-general of police (law and order) Prashant Kumar for making a public statement that it was not a case of gangrape.

“The court questioned the way the officer made the statement and asked him to see the changes brought in the act with regard to the definition of rape in 2013. The court asked the officers whether they would have treated the dead in a similar manner if she belonged to a rich family,” Kushwaha added.

Vinod Rai, additional advocate-general of state government, said: “The court has to take a decision with regard to the cremation of the victim. The case has been listed for November 2.”

Besides Prashant Kumar, additional chief secretary of the home department Avanish Awasthi, director-general of police Hitesh Chandra Awasthi, Hathras district magistrate Praveen Kumar and the then superintendent of police Vikram Veer, who was suspended on October 1, were present in the court.