Lakhimpur Kheri (Uttar Pradesh):
In the rape and murder of two minor Dalit sisters, 17 and 15, whose bodies were found yesterday, police have arrested six people and claim to have cracked the case. "All those involved are now arrested," the area police chief told reporters.
Here are the five key things police said:
The six arrested men include one from the victims' neighbourhood. He had allegedly introduced the girls to three others but was not at the scene of crime. "The three who carried out the crime, and two who helped them in a cover-up attempt, are from another village close to the girls'," said Superintendent of Police Sanjeev Suman.
One of the men was caught this morning in an encounter with the police, who shot him in the leg, the officer said. He, too, had been identified yesterday, police said. All six have been booked for murder and rape, besides under the Protection of Children Against Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
Three of the men, who were friends with the girls, had taken them along on motorbikes, the SP told reporters. He said they were "not forcibly abducted". Their mother had alleged kidnapping, but the officer said they trusted the men as they were friends.
"The men took advantage of being friends and raped them. As the girls then started saying they'd have to marry them, the men got angry and strangled them with their dupattas. They later called two of their friends, who helped them hang the girls so that it looks like a suicide," he said.
Post-mortem examination is being conducted by a panel of three doctors. "It will be videographed, and some members of the victims' family will be inside as they wanted to be sure," said SP Suman, adding, "We will do everything that the family wants. That is important, we understand." He denied reports that local cops had got into an argument with the victims' family yesterday.
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