The incident took place on Wednesday morning when the girl was returning home from the market. (Representation picture)
A 16-year-old girl hanged herself at her home in Jahanabad town of Fatehpur district Thursday evening, a day after two youths allegedly molested and assaulted her when she objected to their advances. Police said she committed suicide after returning from the hospital, where she underwent a medical examination.
Khanasil (22) and Zameer Alam (24) were arrested and produced in a local court which sent them to judicial custody on Friday. Police personnel have been deployed in the town, which has a mixed population, since the
incident.
Station House Officer (SHO) of Jahanabad police station Ghanshyam Pandey said, “The incident took place on Wednesday morning when the girl was returning home from the market. While she was passing a secluded stretch on the way, Khanasil and Zameer caught her. They allegedly molested the girl and when she struggled to free herself, allegedly assaulted her. They were trying to drag her into the thickets when they saw two people passing by, so they fled.”
He further said that the girl informed her parents about the alleged assault after she returned home, after which they filed a complaint at Jahanabad police station.
A case was registered against the two accused under IPC sections 354 A (sexual harassment), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace) and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
The victim was sent to the district hospital on Thursday for medical examination. “After the medical examination was done, she returned home, went straight to her room and locked the door from inside. While other family members were sitting in the hall, they realised that the girl was alone in her room. They knocked on the door but did not get any response. They later broke open the door to find her body hanging from the ceiling fan,” said the SHO.
Circle Officer, Jahanabad, Abhishek Tiwari, said, “IPC section 306 (abetment of suicide) will be added to the case against the two accused.”