‘Wanted to teach her a lesson’: 16-year-old girl strangled to death in Lucknow, 4 men arrested

According to police, the victim’s mother approached them on January 16 and filed a complaint, alleging that Anshu had eloped with her daughter. Police immediately registered a case and launched an investigation to trace the two.

After gathering technical and local intelligence inputs, officers said a police team traced and arrested Anshu from Para.

Police said during questioning, Anshu admitted that he had been in a relationship with the victim and would speak to her frequently over the phone and social media platforms.

He said a few months ago, the victim allegedly became friends with Ashiq and spoke to him regularly.

According to police, Anshu claimed the victim was unaware that he and Ashiq were close friends. A few days ago, he had told Ashiq about his relationship with the girl and it came to light that she was allegedly seeing Ashiq too.

Police said angered by this revelation, the duo decided to “teach the girl a lesson” and hatched a plan to harm her.

On January 13, Anshu reportedly called the girl and asked her to meet him. When she arrived at the meeting spot, Ashiq and the two other accused, who were waiting in an SUV, forcibly dragged her inside the vehicle.

Police said the group assaulted the victim and strangled her to death. After killing her, police said they placed her body on a railway track in an attempt to destroy evidence and mislead investigators. The accused also smashed her mobile phone to erase any digital proof of their involvement.

Police recovered the body of the victim, and the vehicle allegedly used in the crime.

The initial FIR was lodged under BNS sections 87 (kidnapping, abducting or inducing woman to compel her marriage) and 137 (kidnapping). Following the girl’s death, police said murder charges were added.