The bodies of two Dalit girls, Babli Jatav (18) and Shashi Jatav (15), were found hanging from a tree in Farrukhabad district of Uttar Pradesh on Tuesday morning, causing shock and anger among the locals. The girls were discovered hanging by two dupattas tied together in a mango orchard near their village.
According to Sanjay Kumar, the Additional Superintendent of Police, the girls went missing after they left home on Monday night to attend Janmashtami celebrations at a local temple.
“Prima facie it looks like a case of suicide. But we don’t know the reason yet. An inquiry is going on. Their post-mortem report may throw some light on the incident,” he said.
However, the girls’ families suspect foul play. Babli’s father, Ramvir Jatav, a laborer in Bhagautipur village, expressed disbelief at the police’s preliminary assessment. “They went to the temple at 7.30 pm and returned around 9 pm, changed their dresses to attend the procession, and went back. When they didn’t return, we thought they had stayed at their bua’s (aunt) house,” he explained.
Ramvir added, “In the morning, a woman from our village told us someone was hanging from a tree in the orchard. We went there and saw our daughters. They were hanging about 10 feet above the ground. How did they get there? It is a case of murder for some reason, but the police are trying to simplify the case by calling it suicide.”
Shashi’s father, Mahendra Jatav, also questioned the circumstances surrounding the girls’ deaths. “We didn’t search for them at night because they often stayed back at the house of Ramvir’s sister, who lives near the temple. The police are interrogating us as if we are criminals. Is this how they are going to solve the case?”
He said that the branches of the mango tree were too weak to support the weight of a person, suggesting the involvement of others. “Climbing the tree at night would not have been possible. There must have been someone else and something like a ladder or table involved,” Mahendra added.
Alok Priyadarshi, the Superintendent of Police of Farrukhabad, confirmed that evidence, including a mobile phone, slippers, and a SIM card found in one of the girls’ pockets, has been collected. “We are thoroughly investigating the case and awaiting further findings from the post-mortem,” Priyadarshi stated.
