“This is the most gruesome murder the village has seen. Residents are in shock,” said village head Ayodhya Prasad. (Representational Image) “This is the most gruesome murder the village has seen. Residents are in shock,” said village head Ayodhya Prasad. (Representational Image) HOURS AFTER the charred body of an 18-year-old girl was found near her house in Satni village of Unnao district on Thursday, police arrested a youth from the same village. Moni’s body was found in a field Thursday evening, about 45 minutes after she had left home on her bicycle to go to a nearby market. Unnao SP Pushpanjali Devi said, “Vikas Gupta (24) of the same village was arrested for murdering the girl. It could be a one-sided affair, he may have felt jilted. We are investigating.” The accused was being questioned, Station Officer of Barwasagar police station Uttam Singh Rathore said. Circle Officer of Beeghapur area Vivek Ranjan Rai said the autopsy report of the victim did not mention sexual assault. Moni, a Dalit who quit studies after Class VIII, used to work as a labourer. Her mother and younger brother Suraj (16) are also labourers. Her father Sankata Prasad died seven years ago. Her uncle Kamal Kishore, also a labourer, lives in the same house with his wife and children. Speaking to The Indian Express, Kamal Kishore said that Moni left home around 4.30 pm on her bicycle to buy some commodities from the weekly market in neighbouring Theda village, a kilometre from their house. “After around 45 minutes, we heard that a girl’s body was seen burning near an under-construction community health centre, around 400 metres from our house. We rushed there and identified the body as Moni’s on the basis of her slippers and the bicycle,” he said. Moni’s elder sister Soni, who got married nine years ago, said her identity was further confirmed by her gold earrings. The girl had died by the time the police arrived at the spot. They found a two-litre plastic bottle and evidence of petrol near the spot. The victim’s half-burnt scarf was also recovered. In the evening, Moni’s mother Gilla (56) lodged a complaint with the police against unidentified assailants for the murder. Moni’s brother Suraj said, “She used to go the market on her bicycle using the same route. We don’t have any enmity with anyone, and cannot say who is behind the murder.” Her mother and sister Soni did not reply to any query on Moni. “This is the most gruesome murder the village has seen. Residents are in shock,” said village head Ayodhya Prasad, also a Dalit. Residents of the village were tight-lipped about the murder. “I have not heard about Moni being in a relationship with anyone, or being followed by anybody,” said Sushma, a neighbour. Radha, a villager about the same age as Moni, said, “Moni never discussed any kind of harassment with us.” For all the latest Lucknow News, download Indian Express App

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