Yet another rape victim found hanging from tree in UP village

Bahraich: In a chilling reminder of the horrific Badaun incident, the body of a 45-year-old woman belonging to a backward caste was found hanging from a tree yesterday, after she was allegedly abducted and gang-raped.

The semi-nude body of the victim was found hanging by a saree from a tree in Ranipur area, Additional Superintendent of Police Sunil Kumar Singh said. The woman, belonging to a backward caste, went missing last night, he said.

Villagers near the site of crime at Katra Shahadatganj village where two sisters were gang-raped and hanged from a mango tree, in Badaun district. File Pic/PTI

Abducted and raped
A resident of Loniyanpur village in Ranipur, the woman was allegedly abducted from Bahraich, gang-raped and later hanged, Singh said. The victim was heading to Lucknow for treatment when her son informed her on her mobile that she had become a grandmother and asked her to return immediately, the ASP said.

On reaching Bahraich, the woman called up her son to ask him to pick her up. But, when her son reached there, he found his mother missing, the officer said. Her mobile, which was found switched off, and footwear, were found near the tree from where she was found hanging, he said. In a complaint to the police, the family named five persons who they alleged had committed the crime, the ASP said.

An FIR has been registered against Vijay, Raju, Onkar, Ramswarup and Naeem under IPC sections 302 (murder), 201 (causing disappearance of evidence) and 376 (rape), Singh added.

All the accused were absconding, he said, adding, "Rape cannot be ruled out. We are waiting for the post-mortem report".
Locals alleged that the woman had an enmity with some persons involved in the liquor trade. She had even made a complaint against them earlier, they said.

Nearly two weeks ago, in Badaun district, two teenage cousins, aged 14 and 15, were found hanging from a tree after they were allegedly gang-raped and murdered, sparking country-wide outrage.