In a suspected hate crime, two teenage sisters were allegedly beaten to death by their father and two minor brothers over suspicions regarding their relationships with local youths in Kushinagar district, police said on Tuesday.
The incident took place on Monday evening in Devnagar Tola village under the jurisdiction of Sewrahi police station. The accused father, identified as Ram Prasad Bind, 50, is absconding, while his two juvenile sons, aged 12 and 14, have been taken into custody.
Additional superintendent of police (ASP) Siddhartha Verma said the accused allegedly assaulted his 15-year-old and 17-year-old daughters with sticks and clubs inside their home with the assistance of his two minor sons. The girls succumbed to their injuries on the spot.
Police have registered a First Information Report (FIR) against the accused and his minor sons under Section 103(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which pertains to the punishment for murder. Further legal action is being taken based on the investigation’s findings, officials said.
“The father, along with his two minor sons, allegedly beat the two daughters to death using sticks and clubs. The weapons used in the crime have been recovered from the scene. The two juvenile boys have been taken into custody, while the father is absconding. Efforts are underway to arrest him,” Verma said.
Police said they rushed to the village after receiving information from local residents and found the two minor boys sitting outside the house. During questioning, the boys allegedly admitted that they had participated in the assault along with their father.
The bodies of the two girls were recovered from inside the house, and the alleged murder weapons were seized from the scene. The bodies have been sent for postmortem examination, and further investigation is underway.
Circle officer (CO) Ajay Kumar Singh said preliminary findings indicate that the father was unhappy over the alleged relationships of his daughters with two youths from the same community.
“Preliminary investigation suggests that the father was upset over the alleged relationships of his daughters with two youths. Further investigation is underway, and action is being taken in accordance with the law,” Singh said.
According to police officials, the father frequently quarrelled with his daughters over their alleged relationships and suspected their character. The girls had reportedly left home on a few occasions and returned after a couple of days, leading to repeated disputes within the family.
Officials said the father had allegedly confiscated their mobile phones to prevent them from remaining in contact with the youths. Investigators believe the killings were driven by the father’s suspicions regarding the girls’ relationships and conduct.
Police said forensic evidence is being collected, and witnesses’ statements are being recorded as part of the investigation. Authorities are probing all circumstances that led to the double murder.
