Three-year-old raped in UP's Lakhimpur; third incident in 20 days

SP Kheri Satyendra Kumar called the crime an inhumane act and had deployed four teams to nab the accused.

The victim's father had earlier named Lekhram, a resident of the village, in his complaint. He claimed the child was kidnapped due to an old rivalry. The girl's body was found half a kilometer away from her home.

Lekhram has now been arrested.

Last month, two equally horrendous rape and murder cases were reported from the same district. A teen, 17-18 years of age, was raped and killed by one Dilshad, whom she knew.

Her body was found near a dried-up pond, just 200 meter away from her village.

The girl had gone to fill a scholarship form, didn't return, after which her family approached the police.

A probe revealed that Dilshad followed the victim from the market and tried talking to her. After his advances didn't get him anywhere, he raped the victim and slit her throat.

"Apart from the statement of the accused, the conclusion is also based on scientific evidence such as fingerprints, bloodstained clothes and CCTV footage that has confirmed the crime," Kumar had said.

Before that, the rape of a 13-year-old also came to fore from the same district.

The victim was violated and murdered in Isanagar area. Her body was recovered from a sugarcane field. The two accused were arrested and will be charged under the National Security Act (NSA) and other relevant sections.

Naturally, the rise in women-related crimes has earned the state government criticism.