Bhandara: Three detained in rape-cum-murder of sisters

Three persons were today detained in connection with the alleged rape and murder of three minor sisters in Bhandara district in east Maharashtra, police said.

According to police, three sisters, aged six, nine and eleven years, who went missing since February 14, were allegedly raped and murdered by unidentified persons in Murwadi village in Lakhni taluka of Bhandara district, nearly 70 kms from here. Their bodies were found dumped in a farm well on February 16.

"Those detained are from Murwadi village from where the victims hailed. The trio is being interrogated in connection with the rape and murder case," police said.

The initial post-mortem of the girls had confirmed that they were raped and murdered. However, the forensic findings contradicted the report. The report did not show any traces of semen. The findings are also inconclusive on whether the girls were murdered.

The district police have questioned and interrogated over 500 people from the area so far in this regard.

The Inspector General of Police (IGP) Rajendra Singh and the Superintendent of Police (SP) of Bhandara district Arati Singh are camping at Lakhni and supervising the investigation.

Further details are awaited.