UP: Week after death of minor gang-rape victim, father found dead in Hamirpur
The deceased is the father of one of the girls who were found hanging in a village in Kanpur's Ghatampur area on February 28.
A week after two minor girls were found hanging from a tree in a field after they were allegedly gang-raped, the father of one of the girls was also found dead on Wednesday in Hamirpur, PTI reported, citing the police.
“The body of a 45-year-old man, resident of a village under the Sisolar police station area, was found hanging from a tree on Wednesday under unknown circumstances.” Superintendent of Police (SP) Deeksha Sharma said.
The police are yet to register an FIR regarding the alleged suicide.
The deceased is the father of one of the girls who were found hanging in a village in Kanpur's Ghatampur area on February 28.
Family members had alleged that the girls were raped by three men – Ramroop Nishad, (48), his son Raju (18) and nephew Sanjay (19) – a few days ago. They also allegedly made a video of the girls and were threatening them.
All of them were subsequently arrested. They have been booked under the Indian Penal Code sections 376D (gang rape), 306 (abetment to suicide) and the Protection Of Children Against Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
On Wednesday, the kin of the deceased father of one of the girls, alleged that he died allegedly by suicide as the accused's family members were threatening them to compromise on the rape case.
The police, however, have declined to comment on the allegations, reported PTI.
"Further action regarding the incident will be taken based on the complaint filed by the family members", Sharma said.
Meanwhile, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi hit out at the BJP-led Uttar Pradesh government over the incident.
"In Uttar Pradesh, if victimized girls and women ask for justice it has become a rule to destroy their families, from Unnao, Hathras to Kanpur- wherever women were tortured, their families were destroyed. Being a woman has become a crime in this jungle raj where there is no such thing as law left," Gandhi wrote in a post on X on Thursday.
"After all, what should crores of women of the state do, where should they go?" she asked.
