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Karnataka Dalit woman found dead in well, 4 detained as family alleges rape, murder
The Raichur police confirmed that the accused were known to the woman’s family and they hailed from the same village.
According to the FIR, the woman had returned home with her parents around 6 pm on Wednesday after working in the fields. Around 7 pm, she left home again, reportedly to relieve herself on nearby government land, but did not return. (File photo)
A 21-year-old Dalit woman in Karnataka’s Raichur district was allegedly kidnapped and gangraped, before her body was found dumped in an open well on Thursday, the police said.
As the incident sparked protests by Dalit organisations demanding swift action against those responsible for the murder, the police on Friday detained four suspects for interrogation after a complaint from the woman’s family.
Raichur Superintendent of Police Arunangshu Giri confirmed that the accused were known to the woman’s family and hailed from the same village.
The First Information Report (FIR) mentions that there were injuries to her face and other parts of her body and states that she was found lying face down in the well.
The woman’s family alleged that the four accused kidnapped the woman, sexually assaulted her and then murdered her. The police are investigating the allegations and the circumstances surrounding her death.
Inspector-General of Police, Ballari Range, visited the village and reviewed the investigation, while Raichur Deputy Commissioner Poovitha S met the woman’s family and assured them of strict action, safety measures and compensation.
What happened on Wednesday
According to the FIR, the woman had returned home with her parents around 6 pm on Wednesday after working in the fields, and reportedly went out alone an hour later to relieve herself on nearby government land. When she did not return, her family searched for her through the night but in vain.
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On Thursday morning, the family was informed that a woman’s body had been found in an open well in an agricultural area. Her parents reached the spot and identified the body as that of the 21-year-old woman.
The police have booked the four men for kidnapping, murder, gangrape, causing disappearance of evidence, and under the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Amendment Act, 2015.
© The Indian Express Pvt Ltd
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