4 convicted in Dalit sisters’ gangrape, murder case in Lakhimpur
Quantum of punishment will be pronounced on August 14; separate verdicts will be announced for the other two juvenile accused
LAKHIMPUR KHERI A special Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) court on Friday convicted four out of the six accused in connection with the rape and murder of two Dalit sisters in 2022 in Lakhimpur Kheri district of Uttar Pradesh.
Separate verdicts will be announced for the other two juvenile accused, a public prosecutor said.
On September 14, 2022, the bodies of the two sisters – aged 17 and 15 – were found hanging from a tree in their village in the district. Their family members had alleged that both were abducted from outside their house three hours before their bodies were recovered.
Police had said the accused raped and strangled the sisters before hanging their bodies from a tree to make it appear like a suicide case. An FIR was registered under the Indian Penal Code and Pocso Act in the case on the same day and six people were arrested on September 15.
Special public prosecutor Brijesh Pandey said that the quantum of punishment will be pronounced on August 14. “...additional district judge, special Pocso court, Rahul Singh held all four — Mohd Junaid (19), Sunil Kumar (22) Karimuddin (21) and Mohd Arif (24) — guilty ,” he said. “The judgment on the role of one minor accused – above 16 years of age – will be pronounced later and trial of sixth accused – who is below 16 years of age – is being held before the Juvenile Justice Board,” he added.
