Missing Dalit girl’s body found in Aligarh field

PRAYAGRAJ: The body of a 17-year-old Dalit girl was found on a farm near a village in Akrabad in Uttar Pradesh’s Aligarh district, and it appeared she was strangulated to death, the police said on Monday, as villagers clashed with the police and indulged in stone pelting leaving one personnel injured.

Citing the post mortem report, Aligarh senior superintendent of police (SSP) Muniraj G said, “Strangulation and smothering have been assigned as reasons for death of the girl. The body was dragged from a nearby field to the spot where it was found by villagers.”

The girl had reportedly gone to gather fodder at about 12pm on Sunday but did not return. Her family began searching for her and was soon joined by villagers. Her family suspected she was raped before being killed.

The SSP said no injury marks were found on the internal parts of the body. “Yet, we cannot be conclusive about rape as doctors have not confirmed it in post mortem report and thus a slide of vaginal swab has been prepared and sent for testing by forensic experts,” Muniraj said. He added that some people have been rounded for interrogation and five teams constituted to work out the case.

After the girl’s body was found, irate villagers blocked police vehicles and resorted to stone-pelting when the police

tried to take her body for a postmortem examination, injuring Pramendra Singh, the in-charge of Gangiri Kotwali of Aligarh district, in the head, officials said. Later, senior police officials assured them of swift action and the body was taken for an autopsy. Police have registered a case under sections 302, 376 of IPC, and sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.