SIT begins probe of Badaun rape, murder case

A special investigation team (SIT) of police in Uttar Pradesh's Badaun district has begun probing the gang-rape and murder of two minor girls, both sisters, that led to a nationwide outcry, a police official said Friday.

The team formed by the district police chief is being headed by circle officer (CO) Ujhani Mukesh Saxena and comprises four other officials.

The team has spoken to the families of the victims and are trying to piece together the sequence of events that led to the gang rape and murder of the girls. The SIT has also visited the house of the prime accused, now sealed, and has collected some material from there, an official told IANS.

The entire process had been filmed for later use in the courts, he added.

There are reports that the victims' family continues to be hounded by thratening calls and they are said to be mulling the idea of moving out of the village to some other undisclosed location. They have already aired their fear of being attacked by well-wishers of the accused. Police officials however refuted these reports and said that adequate security has been provided to the families and that there was no reason to panic.

"Keeping in mind the high profile nature of the case now and the fact that it is being monitored by the DGP (director general of police's) office, we are providing all possible security to the two families," said an official.

The two girls from the Dalit community were gang raped and then hung from a mango tree in a village in Badaun last week. While all the six accused, including a policeman, have been arrested, a Central Bureau of Investigation probe has also been recommended by the state government into the case.