Unnao case: Two, including minor held; poisoned girls on being ‘rejected’, say cops

Two persons including a minor have been caught by the police for the murder of two teenage girls found in a field in Uttar Pradesh’s Unnao district, a senior police officer said on Friday evening.

According to police, the main accused, Vinay, confessed to giving water mixed with insecticide to one of the girls after she continuously refused to give him her phone number.

The Uttar Pradesh Police on Friday arrested two youths, one of whom is a minor, from a neighbouring village for allegedly poisoning three minor Dalit girls in Asoha block of Unnao on Wednesday. Two of the girls died as a result; the third is in critical stage undergoing treatment in hospital.

The prime accused, Vinay Kumar, 21, wanted to rape one of three girls who had turned him down earlier. He offered her water laced with a pesticide in the hope that she would fall unconscious. But the other two also drank from the same bottle. Vinay Kumar panicked when all three fell unconscious and fled with his accomplice, Lucknow Range inspector general Laxmi Singh told reporters in state capital Lucknow.

"On the fateful day, he reached the fields with his friend. He offered the girls some chips. Then the girl he eyed asked for water. He gave her water that was laced with pesticides. Soon, the two other girls also drank from the bottle, he told the police," said Singh.

With the help of villagers, the police learnt about Vinay’s presence in his field at the time the girls were there. The Special Operation Group team picked him up with three others from Pathakpur village. The brothers of the girls were also detained for questioning.

The two victims were laid to rest on Friday amid a large police cover. Following the consent given by their parents, the two bodies were cremated today, but their viscera has been preserved for further probe if needed.

• Dalit girls
• Unnao case
• Uttar Pradesh Police