Bahraich gang-rape: 2 more accused arrested

Two more persons have been arrested in connection with the alleged gang rape and hanging of a 45-year-old woman in Ranipur area, a senior police officer said here today. "Two more accused -- victim's brother-in-law Vinay and his aide Naeem -- were arrested yesterday. With this all the five accused have been arrested," Superintendent of Police Happy Guptan said.

On being asked whether it was a suicide or murder, the SP said, "We are probing into all aspects and it will be too early to make any comment." The semi-nude body of the woman was found hanging with a saree from a tree in Ranipur area on June 11. The woman, belonging to a backward caste, went missing on June 10 night. 

A resident of Loniyanpur village in Ranipur, the woman was allegedly abducted from Bahraich, gang-raped and later hanged. 

Five persons—Vinay, Raju, Onkar, Ramswarup and Naeem -- were booked under sections 302 (murder), 201 (causing disappearance of evidence) and 376 (rape) of the IPC. Of the five accused, three -- Ramswarup, Onkar and Raju -- had already been arrested. However, the post-mortem report of the woman did not confirm rape."The postmortem report of the woman has not confirmed rape. The cause of death is antemortem hanging. The body of the victim did not have any injury marks," District Magistrate N K Singh had said.

SP Guptan had suspended five police personnel including Ranipur police station SHO Salahuddin Sheikh, sub-inspector Janardan Rai, head constable Ram Dhwaj Singh, constables Khooblal and Nitin Dubey for not informing the higher authorities about the incident.