Uttar Pradesh: Dalit rape victim found hanging in Barabanki

Image used for representational purpose. Pic/iStock

Authorities in Uttar Pradesh said that a 16-year-old Dalit girl, an alleged rape victim who was to appear before a magistrate to record her statement, has been found hanging at her house in the Haidergarh area, news agency PTI reported.

According to PTI, the investigating officer of the case has been suspended for dereliction of duty following the incident on Thursday.

Superintendent of Police Dinesh Kumar Singh said, "A rape case was lodged at Haidergarh police station on June 17. The accused was detained on Thursday and the girl was to appear before a magistrate to register her statement."

"The victim allegedly committed suicide. We have sent the body for post-mortem and further investigation was underway," he said.

Her family members have alleged that she ended her life as the police failed to arrest the accused who was threatening her to withdraw the case.

"The allegations made by the family members regarding police action in the case are also being looked into. Investigating Officer Yogendra Pratap Singh has been suspended for dereliction of duty," the SP added.

In a separate case in September 2022, six people were arrested in connection with the rape and murder of two Dalit teenage sisters in Nighasan, police had said. The girls were found hanging from a tree in a sugarcane field located about a kilometre away from their house. Lakhimpur Kheri Superintendent of Police (SP) had told reporters, "We have arrested Junaid, Sohail, Hafizur Rehman, Karimuddin, Arif and Chottu in an overnight operation."

In February 2018, an eight-year-old Dalit girl was killed in Vishnupur village allegedly over a land dispute, police had said. The incident took place when the girl had gone for grazing the goats, Superintendent of Police Anil Kumar had said. The police said that a land dispute is believed to be the reason behind the alleged killing. The deceased's father has lodged a complaint in this regard, naming his nephews as accused, he said. A case in this regard was registered against the two accused, the SP said.

(With inputs from PTI)