'Those who release rapists...': Rahul Gandhi attacks BJP over murder of Dalit sisters in Lakhimpur Kheri
On Wednesday, two teenage sisters were found hanging from a tree in a sugarcane field located about a kilometre away from their house in Nighasan police station limits in Lakhimpur Kheri.
FollowCongress leader and Wayanad MP Rahul Gandhi slammed the BJP on Thursday over the alleged kidnapping and murder of two Dalit girls in Uttar Pradesh's Lakhimpur Kheri, saying women's security cannot be expected from those facilitating the release of rapists.
On Wednesday, two teenage sisters were found hanging from a tree in a sugarcane field located about a kilometre away from their house in Nighasan police station limits in Lakhimpur Kheri.
Also read:Â Two Dalit teenage sisters found hanging from tree in Lakhimpur Kheri; Oppn slams Yogi govt
A day after the incident, six people were arrested on Thursday in connection with the rape and murder of the two girls.
In a tweet, the Congress leader said, "The kidnapping and murder of two minor Dalit sisters in Lakhimpur in broad daylight is a very disturbing incident."
Also read:Â Lakhimpur Kheri case: 6 arrested for alleged rape-murder of two minor Dalit sisters
"Women's safety cannot be expected from those facilitating the release of rapists and welcoming them," the former Congress chief said in an apparent reference to 11 convicts in the Bilkis Bano gangrape case being set free last month from the Godhra sub-jail after the BJP-led Gujarat government allowed their release under its remission policy.
Rahul Gandhi also stressed on the need for creating a safe environment in the country for women.
As soon as the news about the alleged murder of the Dalit girls broke, Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra attacked the BJP-led Uttar Pradesh government over "increasing" crimes against women in the state.
Also read:Â Take a break: Bharat Jodo Yatra to resume from Kerala's Kollam from September 16
"The killings of two sisters in Lakhimpur (UP) are heart-wrenching. The relatives say that the girls were abducted in broad daylight," Priyanka Gandhi said in a tweet in Hindi.
"Giving false advertisements in newspapers and television every day does not improve law and order. After all, why are heinous crimes against women increasing in Uttar Pradesh?" the Congress general secretary said.
Also read:Â Centre to sign tripartite peace agreement with Assam's 5 militant outfits today: Check details
Speaking to reporters, Lakhimpur Kheri Superintendent of Police (SP) said, "We have arrested Junaid, Sohail, Hafizur Rehman, Karimuddin, Arif and Chottu in an overnight operation."
"As per preliminary investigation, the two sisters left their home on Wednesday afternoon on the persuasion of Junaid and Sohail. Junaid and Sohail have confessed that they strangulated the girls after raping them," said the SP.
