On February 17, three girls were reportedly found unconscious in a field in Unnao district, Uttar Pradesh. While two died in the incident, the third was admitted to a hospital for treatment. On February 23, the third teenager gained consciousness and narrated the whole story of the day in front of the Executive Magistrate. She explained how the two girls had died. The Police has started a further investigation into the case.
As per reports, though the hospital in Kanpur has not released an official statement regarding the health condition of the victim, the concerned doctors have confirmed that she is now out of danger and on her way to full recovery.
The third girl was in critical condition and she was referred to Kanpur for further treatment. She was under a ventilator for some days. Unnao SP stated that the girl had gained consciousness and her statement was recorded as per legal provisions in the presence of a female magistrate Rizwana Shahid under section 164.
थाना असोहा प्रकरण में उपचाराधीन लड़की द्वारा दिए गए बयान एवं विवेचनात्मक कार्यवाही के संदर्भ में SP उन्नाव द्वारा दी गई बाइट @Uppolice @dgpup @adgzonelucknow @Igrangelucknow pic.twitter.com/OAnUMDt9Ou
— UNNAO POLICE (@unnaopolice) February 23, 2021
Superintendent of Police Anand Kulkarni said that the girl named one ‘Lambu’ and his friend as the culprits. She said that on the day of the incident, they came to the girls in the field who were collecting fodder for the cattle. Lambu and his friend had offered them some snacks which they refused. Later the accused Lambu had offered water which they all drank, and later fainted.
SP Kulkarni added that the girl had denied any kind of sexual assault. According to the Police, the accused named Lambu had mixed some poison in the water. Kulkarni said, “The girl said in her statement that she fainted after drinking water. There was no incident of molestation of sexual assault with her.” The statement given by the girl has been recorded based on which the Police will take further action. The Police have already arrested Vinay and his friends in the case.
The Unnao incident had the usual suspects peddling ‘rape’ and caste angle
After the initial news of the incident spread, a number of media portals, journalists and politicians had spread false information that the three Dali girls were raped and murdered. Some had even claimed that they were found with their hands and feet tied. However, the police had denied all those false accusations. The post-mortem on the two deceased girls had confirmed that they were no signs of sexual assault. The initial examination of the crime scene and statements from family members had also asserted that there were no signs of coercion or assault on the person of the victims or at the scene.
On February 17, three girls were reportedly found in the unconscious state of a field in Baburha village under the Asoha police station of Unnao district in Uttar Pradesh. Two of them were declared brought dead while the third one was in critical condition. The initial examination by the Police and the doctors suggested that the two girls were poisoned.
Two local boys from the girls’ neighbourhood arrested
Reports suggested that the girls had gone to the field to collect fodder for cattle. The fields are owned by the girls’ own families. The victims’ brother Vishal said that all three girls had gone to the field around 3 pm on February 16 to collect fodder. When they did not return by late evening, the families searched for them and found them lying in the field.
Police said that it was a case of a one-sided love affair. The accused was in love with the eldest girl and had proposed to her. She turned him down that made the accused very angry. So he gave her water mixed with pesticide. After drinking the poisoned water, the condition of all three worsened, and two died on the spot. The main accused’s friend who had accompanied him is reportedly a minor. The post-mortem had confirmed the presence of a poisonous substance in the stomach of the victims.
The police had stated that the arrested accused had only intended to kill one girl who he was allegedly in love with. But the other girls had also drunk the poison-laced water.
