Bodies of four members of a dalit family, who were brutally murdered by unidentified miscreants apparently over a property related dispute around two days back, were recovered from their house in Mohanganj Gohri village under Phaphamau police station of trans-Ganga area of Prayagraj on Thursday, police said.
SSP Sarvashreshtha Tripathi said bodies of Phulchandra Saroj aka Phule 50, wife Meenu Devi, 45, and son Shiv, 10, were found lying on cots in the courtyard while their 17-year-old daughter Sapna’s body was found in the inner room on the bed.
Their kin alleged that the women might have been sexually assaulted.
Tripathi said “Primary investigation suggests that they were attacked with sharp edged weapons. The bodies have been sent for autopsy and all angles are under investigation. The family had earlier lodged an FIR under SC/ST Act against some persons over a property related dispute and some suspects have been rounded up for questioning.”
Phulchandra used to work as a painter. His brother Krishnachandra alleged that some local musclemen were harassing his brother and his family for some time and even assaulted his brother. Despite lodging two FIRs under SC/ST Act, police took no action.
Meanwhile, police had to face the anger of villagers who demanded early arrest of the accused.
IG Range Rakesh Singh visited the village and ordered suspension of SHO Phaphamau Ramkewal Patel following which the locals allowed the police to take the bodies for autopsy.
Later in the evening, Krishnachandra gave a complaint to police naming some persons against whom Phulchandra had earlier lodged FIR. Circle Officer Soraon Sudhir Kumar said police lodged an FIR against Ravi Singh, Manish Singh and nine other persons in this connection.
It is suspected that the miscreants entered the house after scaling the boundary wall and attacked the family while in their sleep. Police also found a blood-stained axe from the spot that is suspected to have been the crime weapon.
The bodies were in decomposing state suggesting that they were killed around two days back.
Locals informed police that no one in the village noticed the absence of Phulchandra and his family for two days until a local chaat seller experienced foul smell emanating from their house and informed other villagers. The locals found the main door opened and were shocked when they found the bodies lying in the courtyard.
This story first appeared on hindustantimes.com