Agencies
UNNAO, UTTAR PRADESH:
HIGHLIGHTS
The girl was on bicycle when she was attacked by unknown persons: Police
Her slippers, bicycle, an empty can and bunch of matchsticks were found
Police have no information about the attackers so far
In an extremely disturbing incident in Uttar Pradesh, an 18-year-old girl was burnt to death last evening. Her charred body was found outside her village in Unnao district, about 100 kms from state capital Lucknow. Moments after she had left home on her bicycle for the weekly market in the area, she was attacked by unidentified persons who may have used petrol to set her on fire, police said.
Her body, with 100 per cent burn injuries, was recovered by the side of a field outside her village. Her cycle was lying next to her. It appears that the girl was burnt alive, the Uttar Pradesh police said. An empty can and a bundle of matchsticks were also found on the spot. They have registered a case of murder and any sexual assault will be confirmed in the post-mortem report, a senior officer said.
"She had left home to buy vegetables around 4.30 pm. Soon after, her burnt body was recovered in the village. The news of her death spread in the village and her family rushed to the spot. They identified her cycle and slippers," said a senior police officer.
The police have no information about the attackers so far. Also, the circumstances that led to the girl's death have not been established yet.
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COMMENTSSujit Pandey, Inspector General of Police, Lucknow, said, "It appears to be a murder. We have recovered the body, her dupatta, slippers and a bicycle. Investigations are on."
According to National Crime Records Bureau data, Uttar Pradesh accounted for 9.5 per cent of total crimes reported in the country in 2016. UP reported 14.5 per cent (49,262 out of 3,38,954 cases) of total cases of crimes against women. |
