The two teenage sisters who were found hanging from a tree at a village in Sambhal district of Uttar Pradesh on Sunday died of asphyxia due to hanging, according to the post-mortem report.
Police said the family claimed that the girls committed suicide after being scolded by their mother over some domestic work.
However, villagers alleged that it could be a case of honour killing.
Superintendent of police (SP), Sambhal, Yamuna Prasad said, “The post-mortem report says that ligature marks found around the girls’ neck were fresh. It confirmed that their death was caused by asphyxia due to hanging.”
When asked if it could be a case of honour killing, Yadav said that police were probing the case from all angles.
“If the family members are found guilty of honour killing, action will be taken against them,” he said.
The names of the girls have been withheld to protect their identity.
Circle officer, Gunnaur, Gamleshwar Biltoriya said: “The family said both the girls (aged 18 and 19 years) had gone out on Saturday. When they returned, they were scolded by their mother for not giving fodder to the cattle. They went missing at night while their parents were sleeping.”
When their father woke up in the morning, he saw the girls hanging from a tree near his house.
{{/usCountry}}When their father woke up in the morning, he saw the girls hanging from a tree near his house.
{{/usCountry}}“The tree was tall and it is unlikely that they could have climbed it to commit suicide. We are looking into all the angles, including honour killing,” the SP said, adding that the police had collected the rope and hair clips from the spot.
He said the police were also looking into the suspicious actions of the family members who tried to perform the last rites of the girls without informing the police.
“Their refusal to send the bodies for post-mortem examination, attempt to burn the rope used for hanging and destroying other evidences from the spot are also being looked into,” he added.