2 minors raped at family weddings in UP, Chhattisgarh

While a nine-year-old girl was raped and murdered in Uttar Pradesh's Etah, an 11-year-old girl was allegedly raped and killed by a guest at a wedding in Chhattisgarh. 

A nine-year-old girl attending a wedding ceremony was raped and murdered by a man Uttar Pradesh's Etah, an incident which comes days after another minor was raped and killed in this western UP town, police said on Friday.

The latest incident took place on Thursday night when the accused forcibily dragged the nine-year-old who was attending the wedding ceremony of her uncle in Keltha locality of Aliganj police station.

"The accused raped the girl and then killed her. On the complaint lodged by the family members of the girl, a case has been registered against the accused for committing rape and murder. POCSO Act has also been slapped on the accused," circle officer, Aliganj, Ajay Bhadauria said.

He said the accused identified as Pintu, 22, has been arrested.

Police said the accused is a father of two children and works as a driver.

"At the time of the incident, he was in an inebriated state. Besides Pintu, his brother has been arrested," additional SP Sanjay Kumar said.

On April 16, a seven-year-old girl attending a wedding ceremony was allegedly raped and strangulated to death by a man hired to set up tents on the occasion.

The incident took place near Mandi Samiti gate on the Aliganj road here where the girl had gone with her family to attend a wedding.

Sonu Jatav, 19, who was given the task of putting up tents for the marriage ceremony lured the girl, raped her and subsequently killed her.

The body of the girl was found in an under-construction house in the vicinity of the marriage venue and a rope was found tied around the neck of the girl.

Both, the incidents in western Uttar Pradesh come at a time when the Yogi Adityanath government is fighting public anger over the rape of a teenager allegedly by a ruling party MLA in Unnao.

In another shocking case, a man was booked for raping his 35-year-old daughter along with two of his friends in Sitapur city in Uttar Pradesh, police said.

Besides these, two minor girls were allegedly raped in separate incidents in Siddharth Nagar and Hamirpur districts this week.

In Siddharth Nagar, a six-year-old girl was raped by her neighbour when she had gone for a marriage function in a village in Chilhia area, while a 14-year-old girl was raped by three men in a village in Binwar area in Hamirpur district when she went to graze cattle.

The girl was held captive for three hours near a tubewell, where she was raped several times.

11-year-old girl raped, killed in Chhattisgarh

An 11-year-old girl was allegedly raped and killed by a guest at a wedding in Kabirdham district of Chhattisgarh, police said.

Uttam Sahu, the 25-year-old accused, has been arrested, Lal Umed Singh, Superintendent of Police said.

The incident happened on Wednesday night in the district, about 120km from state capital Raipur.

Sahu lured the girl away from the village and then raped and killed her by smashing her head with a stone, Singh said.

The victim was related to the bridegroom, he said.

After committing the crime, Sahu, a resident of nearby Rehauta village, returned and joined the wedding, he said.

When the girl did not return home, a search was launched for her and it came to light that she was last seen with Sahu, the police official said.

The body was found near a canal on Thursday after which police questioned Sahu, who admitted to the crime, Singh said.

He has been arrested on charges of murder and rape, he added.