Autopsy non-conclusive in Unnao girls’ deaths; cops say 'breakthrough soon'

The Uttar Pradesh police have formed six teams to investigate the deaths of two girls who were found dead under mysterious circumstances in Unnao district on Wednesday (February 17).

The police are looking at all possibilities, including honour killing. There were no injury marks on the bodies, which makes it clear their hands were not tied up, the police said.

The post-mortem conducted on Thursday (February 18) was non-conclusive. “The autopsy did not show any external injuries on their bodies,” said Uttar Pradesh police chief Hitesh Chandra Awasthy in a video message, PTI reported.

The relatives of two girls who died, however, claim the girls’ hands and necks were tied with ‘dupattas’ when they were found in the fields. On the UP police’s claim that there were no external injuries, the family of the two girls said they sense “foul play”.

“The girls’ bodies were tied with dupattas and their clothes were torn,” said a kin.

On the suspected poisoning abgle, the sister of the eldest girl who died India Today, “They can’t consume poison. Their hands and necks were tied with dupatta.”

Also read: 2 Dalit girls found dead in Unnao field suspected to have been poisoned

“Superintendent of Police Unnao is monitoring the probe teams. The post-mortem report has revealed several things and our investigation is heading in the right way. We hope to get a breakthrough soon,” Lakshmi Singh, the Inspector General of Police (IG) for Lucknow range, told ANI on Friday (February 19).

Three minor girls were found unconscious in a field in Babuhara village in Unnao district on Wednesday. Two of them were declared brought dead at a hospital, while the condition of the third remains critical at a hospital in Kanpur. A medical bulletin by the Kanpur hospital has noted that it was a suspected case of poisoning, officials said, according to PTI.

The girls, aged 16, 15, and 14, were found in a field. They had gone out to graze cattle, but did not return home.

Also read: Hathras rape and murder: A dark reminder of India’s oppressive society

The bodies of the two dead girls have been cremated with permission from their parents. However, their viscera has been preserved for further probe.

The Uttar Pradesh Human Rights Commission has taken suo motu cognisance of the case and asked for a report from the police within two weeks.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi tweeted: “Not just the Dalits, but under the UP government has been trampling away on women’s dignity and human rights, too.”

Akhilesh Yadav of the SP tweeted saying, “First it was ‘Hathras’s daughter’, then ‘Badayun’s mother’, and now ‘Unnao’s sisters’.”