MINOR GIRL FOUND DEAD, KIN ALLEGE FOUL PLAY

A 17-year-old girl was found dead outside the house of a youth with whom she had gone missing a day earlier. The incident took place after a panchayat in which patch-up bid failed. The girl, a resident of a village in Kandhai area, had gone missing with one Ranchu, 21, on Tuesday. Ranchu returned with the girl on Wednesday but her kin refused to allow her inside the house.

A panchayat was called at village head Ayodhya Prasad’s house. It is alleged that Ranchu’s family opposed his desire to marry the girl and instead offered Rs 30,000 to her family. In the meanwhile, the girl’s body was found outside Ranchu’s house, resulting in a clash between the two families. The girl’s family alleged that Ranchu and his relatives killed the girl.

The girl’s brother and three members of Ranchu’s family were injured in the clash and were hospitalised. Meanwhile, Ranchu fled the village. SP Pratapgarh Anurag Arya said a postmortem examination of the body will be carried out, which will be videographed, and an FIR will be lodged after receiving a complaint from the girl’s kin.