Dalit woman gang-raped, burnt, cut into pieces in Uttar Pradesh

Agra: In a horrifying incident which reveals the pathetic law and order situation in Uttar Pradesh, a Dalit woman was gang-raped and murdered at Malpura in Agra.

Police have still to ascertain when the crime took place. A team set up by DIG Agra Lakshmi Singh had found partially burnt parts of the woman's body in Kakua village on the Gwalior Highway on Sunday.

A number of condoms were also found at the spot, which was only 200 metres from the police post.

According to The Times of India, the victim has been identified as Hema, who was in her 40s and hailed from Jhansi district.

She had been living in an under-construction colony, 'Om Garden', in the village with her husband Hemraj and 12-year-old daughter. The family worked as guards at the site since 2011.

The victim, along with her husband and daughter, had gone to Jhansi a few days ago, but returned alone. When her husband and daughter came back on Saturday, they found the door of their house locked from outside.

The daily quoted villagers as saying that Hemraj had climbed the roof of the house, to find his wife's charred body, which was further spoiled due to rain.

The DIG was later told that Hemraj was being stopped from taking the matter to police by the village headman and others. The men reportedly forcibly set ablaze the remaining body parts, and tried to convince Hemraj and his daughter to return to Jhansi.

"Blood stains were seen far from spot of the crime, indicating that the woman had struggled. Condoms were recovered, so there is reason to suspect she was raped before being killed. Villagers told us the woman was a Dalit. Forensic reports and post-mortem examinations will throw light on how long ago the murder occurred," Lakshmi Singh, DIG Agra range, told the daily.

The police have registered an FIR in the case. Ten people have been named in the FIR, including owners of the colony and the village headman, for rape, murder and concealing evidence.