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Farrukhabad teen deaths: Kin rule out suicide, demand CBI inquiry
The families refused to perform the last rites for several hours and rejected the post-mortem report.
The families of two Dalit teenagers, whose bodies were found hanging from a tree in Uttar Pradesh’s Farrukhabad district, demanded a murder probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into the sensational case on Wednesday, rejecting the local police’s claim that the girls died by suicide.
Also Read | Bodies of 2 girls found hanging from tree in Farrukhabad; probe on: Police
The families refused to perform the last rites for several hours and rejected the post-mortem report, raising a string of troubling questions about the police investigation and the medical process.
The two girls – aged 15 and 18 – were found hanging from a tree in a mango orchard on Tuesday morning, bringing back memories of the grisly deaths of two sisters in Badaun a decade ago. The two girls were neighbours and close friends, and their bodies were found hanging from the same dupatta.
The post-mortem report suggested that the girls died of ante-mortem asphyxia, or hanging. Based on this, the police said the case appeared to be one of suicide.
But the families rejected this theory. “I will not allow the bodies to be cremated until a proper investigation is conducted. The post-mortem report is not credible, and I do not believe they could have committed suicide using one dupatta,” said the father of the younger girl.
The father of the younger girl insisted that the cremation be withheld until the circumstances of the deaths were fully investigated. “Our daughters were murdered, and the suicide theory is unbelievable. The bodies will not be moved unless a CID (Crime Investigation Department) or CBI probe is ordered,” said the aunt of the younger girl.
The families also raised a series of questions about the crime, asking why the police didn’t wait for the forensic team to arrive at the spot and cut the dupatta with a knife. They contested the police’s version that no injuries were found on the victims, alleging that both had red marks on their backs, and added that despite a complaint, no murder case was registered yet. “The girls were happy and had no reason to take an extreme step. The marks on their backs indicate it is a case of murder,” said a relative of the older girl. The coffins carrying the bodies were placed in Bhagautipur village amid protests from both families and other locals. For two hours, the police and administration officials persuaded the families to proceed with the cremation.
The bodies were eventually cremated at Ataina Ghat on the Badaun border after sub-divisional magistrate Ravindra Singh and circle officer Jitendra Singh Tomar assured the families of a transparent investigation.
The police defended itself. “According to the post-mortem report, it appears to be a case of ante-mortem asphyxia, which means that the death of girls was due to hanging. Besides, there are no external injuries on the bodies. The police are investigating the case with an open mind and pursuing various leads,” said Farrukhabad superintendent of police Alok Priyadarshi.
The police are now focussing on a mobile phone and a SIM card hidden in the younger girl’s innerwear.
“The girl’s father has confirmed that the phone belongs to her cousin, who lives in the same village. It was left at his house for charging after a power outage,” said a police officer.
The two girls became friends a year ago when the younger one moved to live with her father in this village. Her mother had passed away when she was a year old, and she was raised by her paternal aunt in a different village. The father decided to bring her back because he struggled with cooking for himself after his son, who was an electrician, left for work in Delhi, said police.
Being neighbours, the girls had a close bond and were often seen together, particularly in the past three months, according to villagers. They had attended Janmashtami celebrations together with the elder girl’s family and returned around 9pm on Monday, leaving together again later that evening.
The case also sparked a political controversy. “The silence of the BJP government in the case is disturbing. Perhaps there are two reasons for this, one is the BJP’s anti-women thinking and attitude and the other is their being Dalits. The Samajwadi Party (SP) will send a delegation in this regard to offer condolences as well as raise voice for justice,” party chief Akhilesh Yadav said in a post on X.
State BJP spokesperson Rakesh Tripathi said: “The police is probing the case and as per the post mortem report, prima facie it appears to be a case of suicide. Akhilesh Yadav must remember his tenure (as CM) when crimes against women was at its peak. In the Yogi Adityanath government, no criminal will be spared.”
