A 16-year-old Dalit girl who was allegedly gang-raped and brutally assaulted in Uttar Pradesh’s Firozabad district died at a hospital in Agra on Friday, after battling critical injuries for nearly a week.
The girl was found in a semi-conscious state in a field on November 1 and was rushed to a local hospital. Given the severity of her injuries, she was later shifted to a hospital in Agra, where she remained on ventilator support. She died before she could record her statement, according to her family.
A postmortem examination confirmed sexual assault and reported a broken neck, crushed jaw and fractured limbs, according to the information shared by the family.
Her relative told The Times of India, “She was gang-raped, tortured and left to die. She was put on ventilator support and could not record her statement before her death.”
Three accused arrested
Police identified three accused, aged 20, 21 and 28, following a complaint by the girl’s father. All three are from the same neighbourhood in the district and have been arrested.
According to police, one of the accused, who had allegedly known the girl for several months, lured her to a nearby field. When she resisted, the men allegedly assaulted and strangled her before leaving her there, believing she was dead.
Two of the accused were arrested after a brief encounter on the night of November 1, while the third was held the following day.
The case was initially registered under sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) relating to attempted murder, gang rape of a minor and abduction, along with provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. After the girl’s death, the attempted murder charge under Section 109(1) was replaced with a murder charge under Section 103(1), police said.
Police also said the accused had confessed during questioning. The alleged confession, however, remains part of the investigation.
Police promise strict action
Firozabad Senior Superintendent of Police Aditya Langesh said the investigation had been taken up on priority under Operation Conviction.
“All three accused have been arrested. This case has been taken up on priority under Operation Conviction. Action will also be initiated against the accused under the Gangsters Act, including an investigation into their properties and steps for attachment or confiscation,” he said.
Additional Superintendent of Police Jaibind Gupta said he was personally supervising the investigation and that the family had been assured of justice and strict punishment for the accused.
Senior police and administrative officials also assured the family of assistance, including compensation under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. The family agreed to the girl’s cremation after receiving these assurances.
