In Uttar Pradesh’s Sitapur district, the body of a 16-year-old Muslim girl was found hanging from a tree near a graveyard, three days after she mysteriously disappeared from her home.
The teenager went missing from Sahroi village under the Kotwali Dehat police station area on August 11. According to her family, she left home around 4 PM and never returned. The worried family approached the police the same evening and again the following day, but no missing person case was registered.
On August 14, the girl’s body was found hanging from a tree near a shrine close to the village. The discovery sent shockwaves through the local community. Police inspected the scene and immediately sent the body for postmortem examination, which was conducted by a panel of doctors and videographed. Additional Superintendent of Police Alok Singh confirmed that the body was at least three days old, and the report listed hanging as the cause of death.
Family Points Finger at Three Village Youths
In their formal complaint, the family named three men from the same village, Mohammad Ilyas, Raheem, and Salman alias Arman, as suspects. They alleged that the accused lured the minor away from her home with false promises. Speaking through their representatives, the family further claimed that the girl was abducted, raped, and then murdered by the accused in a calculated act of brutality.
स्वतंत्रता दिवस के अवसर पर इस वीडियो के साथ यह बात बड़े ही व्यथित मन से लिख रहा हूं कि मुख्यमंत्री @myogiadityanath जी, यह 16 वर्षीय बच्ची का शव नहीं, पेड़ से उत्तर प्रदेश की कानून-व्यवस्था लटकी हुई है।
— Chandra Shekhar Aazad (@BhimArmyChief) August 15, 2026
उत्तर प्रदेश के जिला सीतापुर के कोतवाली देहात थाना क्षेत्र के ग्राम शंकरपुर… pic.twitter.com/4logf4ZnIF
All three named accused have been taken into police custody and are currently being questioned. Circle Officer Sadar Neha Tripathi stated that investigators are examining call detail records, evidence collected from the crime scene, and other technical inputs. “The investigation is being conducted on the basis of forensic and scientific evidence. Further legal action will be taken according to the facts and evidence emerging during the probe,” officials said.
Police Negligence Under Scanner
The handling of the case has raised serious questions about police responsiveness. The family reported the girl missing on August 11, yet no FIR was registered until August 14. Bhim Army chief Chandra Shekhar Azad claimed that it was only after his party workers contacted the family and pressured the police that an FIR was finally lodged. That same evening, the minor’s body was discovered.
Taking cognizance of the alleged negligence, Superintendent of Police Ankur Agrawal suspended Kachnar outpost in-charge SI Tej Bahadur Singh with immediate effect. A departmental inquiry has also been ordered against Kotwali Dehat station house officer Amar Singh. The SP office confirmed the action, stating that responsibility will be fixed if negligence is established during the inquiry.
Chandra Shekhar Azad’s Strong Condemnation
The Bhim Army chief took to social media to voice his anger and demand justice. In a powerful message posted on Independence Day, he wrote, “This is not the body of a 16-year-old girl—it’s Uttar Pradesh’s law and order hanging from a tree.” He described the discovery of Sabreen Bano’s body as extremely heartbreaking and alarming.
Azad questioned what action police took between August 11 and August 14 and demanded a fair and high-level investigation into the alleged police negligence. “UP government should conduct a fair investigation into the police’s negligence, take action against the responsible police personnel, ensure the immediate arrest of the accused and deliver justice to the victim,” he wrote.
Last Rites Conducted Under Police Watch
The postmortem was completed on Saturday, after which the body was returned to the family. A large number of villagers gathered for the final rites, prompting police to deploy additional personnel to prevent any untoward incident. The last rites were conducted late in the evening under police supervision, with the grieving family and community members demanding swift justice.
The Sitapur case now involves a dual investigation. The first focuses on the circumstances surrounding the teenager’s death, while the second examines the police response to her disappearance. As forensic reports are awaited and the three detained suspects face questioning, the case has become a flashpoint for discussions about police accountability and the safety of minority communities in Uttar Pradesh.
