In the village of Bhagwatipur in Farrukhabad, Uttar Pradesh, two friends were found hanging from a tree with the same scarf in a mango orchard, shocking the entire village. This incident has left the local residents in a state of turmoil. The question now arises: Were these deaths a result of suicide, or is there a more sinister explanation?
The tragic event occurred in the Bhagwati Pur village of the Kayamganj Kotwali area in Farrukhabad. The sight of two girls hanging from a tree in a mango orchard alarmed the villagers, who immediately alerted the police. Upon arrival, the police initially treated the case as a suicide. Meanwhile, the families of the deceased are convinced it is a case of murder. Both girls were close friends, with one being 18 years old and the other 16.
The incident followed the village's Janmashtami celebrations, during which both girls went to observe the festivities. When they didn't return home late at night, their families assumed they had stayed over at relatives’ houses within the village. However, the next morning, the news of their bodies being found hanging from a tree reached the families, who rushed to the scene and identified the girls. The father of one of the girls has accused someone of murdering his daughter. Yet, the police's initial stance remains unchanged.
Also Read: Farrukhabad: Two Friends Went Out to See Janmashtami Fair, Found Hanging from Tree in Morning
The grieving father reportedly said, “My daughter had gone out with her friend to see the Janmashtami celebrations. We assumed she might have stayed at a relative's house. In the morning, we learned they were found hanging from a tree in the mango orchard. When we went there, we saw it was my daughter and her friend, hanging with the same scarf. We suspect foul play as a mobile phone and slippers were found at the scene.”
Superintendent of Police Alok Priyadarshi commented, “In the Kayamganj area, two girls were found hanging from a tree, which appears, at first glance, to be a suicide case. The exact cause will be confirmed after the post-mortem report. We found a mobile phone at the scene which is currently under investigation. The families have submitted a request for a thorough investigation, which is currently underway.”
Parliament Member Raises Questions on Police Actions
Saket Gokhale, National Spokesperson of the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) and a Rajya Sabha member, raised concerns over the police's handling of the case. He stated that the deaths of the two Dalit girls in Farrukhabad seem to be shrouded in mystery, with suggestions of a cover-up by the authorities. According to him, it is suspicious that the UP police declared the deaths as 'suicide' even before the post-mortem and forensic reports were released.
He further mentioned, “The police have not registered an unnatural death (UD) case, which is usually mandatory in such situations, and no FIR has been filed as they claim to be waiting for a formal complaint from the victims’ families. Critical questions are not being asked of the police about why they are seemingly downplaying the case before receiving forensic reports. Why has no FIR been filed even 36 hours after the incident?”
Saket Gokhale emphasized, “This is a matter involving two underage girls. How are we supposed to ensure the safety of our women if issues like this are not appropriately addressed? I have written to the SP seeking explanations for how such an incident could have occurred. Political bias should not hinder justice in our country.”
