In a horrific incident, two minor girls were found hanging from a tree near a brick kiln in Ghatampur Kotwali village in Uttar Pradesh’s Kanpur district. The girls had allegedly been gang-raped days earlier by the kiln contractor, his son and nephew.
According to the victims’ families, the accused – kiln contractor Ramroop Nishad, his son Raju and nephew Sanjay – raped the girls a few days prior. The men also allegedly filmed the assault to blackmail the victims.
On Wednesday, the girls went missing. Hours later, their bodies were discovered hanging from a tree about 400 meters from the brick kiln. Police have arrested all three accused, who are residents of Hamirpur district.
Officers recovered videos and photos of the girls from the men’s phones, which will undergo forensic examination.
The men face charges including gang rape, abetting suicide, and offenses under the POCSO Act. The victims’ bodies have been sent for autopsy to confirm the rape allegations and cause of death.
The ghastly case has shocked Uttar Pradesh, already notorious for rampant sexual violence. It highlights the continued exploitation and abuse faced by the state’s vulnerable women and girls. Authorities face mounting pressure to implement stronger protections and deter such heinous crimes.
