6 held for rape, murder of minor Dalit sisters in UP

Lakhimpur Kheri: The police have arrested six people for the rape and murder of two Dalit sisters, 17 and 15, in UP’s Lakhimpur Kheri district on Thursday. The autopsy report of the victims has confirmed that they were raped and strangulated to death before they were hanged to a tree by the accused men. The accused have been identified as Chotu, Junaid, Suhail, Kareemuddin, Arif and Hafeez-ur-Rehman. Junaid was arrested after an encounter with the police in which he was shot in the leg, the police said. All the accused have been booked under IPC Sections 302, 376 and the Pocso act, the SP said. The police will also add penalties under SC/ST Act in this case. One of the main accused was shot by cops in his right leg after an encounter.