Victims uncle,3 brothers held

The three young women,whose bodies were found buried in a field in Nonapar village of Deoria distict.

The three young women,whose bodies were found buried in a field in Nonapar village of Deoria distict on November 4,were beaten to death just on the suspicion that they had boyfriends. The fact that the girls often went out together and returned after sunset was considered enough to justify the suspicion. This is what four men,arrested on Friday in connection with the murder,told investigators.

They are Aneetas brother Ghanshyam and uncle Daddan,and Neetas brothers Manoj and Manohar. Deoria Additional SP Dr Jawahar said they had confessed to the crime. He added that no one from Saritas family was involved in the crime.

The police recovered the blood-stained shirt of Daddan from the bushes near the field where the bodies were buried. The shirt is part of Daddans uniform at a Mumbai firm where he worked. The sticks and spades used in the crime have also be found.

The girls,all from Singahi village,had disappeared on October 31,but their families did not lodge any complaint. The next day,Saritas head was found beside a railway track near the village. On November 4,the bodies were found. Almost immediately,the men from the families went missing. The women who were left behind did not turn up to claim the bodies.

Police sources said they got the first clue from persistent questioning of the women and arrested Daddan who did not take long to break down. He led the police to the other three accused.

Daddan told the police his nephew Ghanshyam told him that his sister was bringing a bad name to the family. He told Daddan that Aneeta and two of her friends went out every evening and returned late. Although no one had seen the boys,Aneetas routine had become a matter of shame,Ghanshyam reportedly told his uncle.

Deoria SP M D Karnadhar said Daddan kept a watch on the three friends for some time. On October 31 evening,about an hour after Aneeta went out,Daddan and Ghanshyam went out to look for them. They took along Neetas brothers. Daddan told the police that they found the three women in a field near the village. When they gave no satisfactory replies to their questions,the women were beaten to death.