UP: Two Dalit sisters found hanging from a tree in Lakhimpur Kheri, family alleges foul play

The bodies of two Dalit teenage sisters were found hanging on a tree in Uttar Pradesh Lakhimpur Kheri on Wednesday, reported Aaj Tak. Their mother, a resident of Lalpur village, has alleged that the two girls had been abducted by three motorcycle-borne men in the morning.

“I was outside my home with the two girls...As soon as I went inside, two boys wearing yellow shirt and white shirt on a bike started dragging my daughters, while another young man in blue shirt started the bike and took them,” she told Aaj Tak.

She added that the alleged kidnappers are all residents of Lalpur.

Lakhimpur Kheri Superintendent of Police Sanjeev Suman, Additional Superintendent of Police and officials from various police stations have reached the spot where the bodies were found. In a tweet, the district police said that the spot was being investigated and that the bodies of the two girls have been sent for postmortem.

A case will be registered based on complaint filed by the family, Uttar Pradesh Additional Director General of Police (Law & Order) Prashant Kumar said, according to ANI.

Following the incident, the locals staged a protest and blocked roads. Opposition parties have demanded strict action against the accused persons.

Superintendent of Police Sanjeev Suman urged the locals to lift the road blockade and allow the police to carry out investigation.

Tweeting a video of the dead bodies, the Samajwadi Party said that the incident has exposed the truth “hollow claims about women safety” made by Chief Minister Adityanath.

“Under Yogi government, goons are harassing mothers and sisters every day, very shameful,” the party wrote in the tweet. “The government should get the matter investigated, the culprits should get the harshest punishment.”

The Aam Aadmi Party also demanded an investigation and strict punishment for the culprits.