Dalit teens buried in Unnao under heavy security cover

UNNAO: The last rites of two teenage girls, found dead in a field in in Babuhara village of Uttar Pradesh’s Unnao district, were performed here on Friday morning amid tight security arrangements, officials said.

Three Dalit girls, aged 13, 15 and 16, were found unconscious in a field near their home in Unnao district late on Wednesday by family members. Two of them died soon after, and the third, the oldest, was in a critical condition in a Kanpur hospital.

On Friday morning, the bodies of the 15-year-old and 14-yearold were buried in their agriculture fields in the presence of senior officials and police personnel in large numbers. The bodies were brought to their village after a post-mortem was done on Thursday but the last rites could not be performed on the day as angry relatives and local villagers refused to let officials bury the two Dalit girls, police said.

Unnao district magistrate Ravindra Kumar said talks regarding burial were held on Thursday with the deceased girls’ family, who were not willing to take it up immediately as they were waiting for their son to arrive from another city and said they would not allow the burial in the night because it violated their local customs and traditions.

Kumar refuted reports of any pressure being exerted on the family and said that the last rites were performed on Friday as per the wishes of the family.

When asked if the family has made any demand, the DM said no letter has been given by the family to the administration and state government.