18-yr-old dies by suicide a day after alleged rape in U.P’s Hardoi

An 18-year-old woman from a village in Hardoi district died on Tuesday after consuming a poisonous substance, a day after being allegedly raped by her neighbour, according to senior police officials. The incident came to light on Wednesday after the woman’s death was reported, prompting immediate action by local authorities.

The accused, identified as Ankit Trivedi, a resident of the same village, has been taken into custody for questioning. A first information report (FIR) has been filed at Behta Gokul police station under sections 63 (rape) and 351 (criminal intimidation) of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita.

Hardoi deputy superintendent of police (DSP) Shilpa Kumari, who also serves as the circle officer (CO) of Harpalpur, stated that preliminary investigation and the woman’s call detail records indicate a months-long relationship with the accused. “Her association with the accused was acknowledged by local residents and corroborated by some family members,” said CO Kumari.

She added that the woman’s elder sister reportedly found her in an intimate situation with the accused on the night between Monday and Tuesday and informed other family members.

“The woman was distressed after the relationship was revealed to her family. After being reprimanded by her parents, she is said to have consumed poison. She was taken to a local hospital where she died during treatment,” the CO added.

An FIR was registered based on the complaint lodged by the woman’s family, with further investigation underway to ascertain the facts, officials said.

A local cop informed that a postmortem examination had been conducted by a panel of doctors. The panel has been asked to submit a report indicating whether there are any signs of sexual assault. “Further legal steps will depend on the findings of the investigation and the medical opinion,” he added.