A 21-year-old woman was brutally murdered in Hardoi district after she resisted a sexual assault, police officials confirmed on Wednesday. The accused, identified as Furqan, was later arrested following a late-night encounter with the police, during which he sustained bullet injuries on both legs.
The Lure and the Tragic Journey
The horrific sequence of events began on Monday afternoon. The victim left her home after the accused, Furqan, allegedly lured her with the promise of helping her secure a job at a plywood factory located in Sandila. Trusting his offer, she accompanied him to Sandila.
However, on their way back, the situation took a sinister turn. Furqan attempted to sexually assault the young woman. Providing more details, Hardoi Superintendent of Police Ashok Kumar Meena stated that on the Gausganj-Gulabnagar road, Furqan took the woman into some roadside bushes where he sexually assaulted her.
The Murder and Body Disposal
During the assault, Furqan sensed people approaching the spot. In a panic, he used the woman's own shawl to strangle her, killing her on the spot. To conceal his crime, he later dumped her body near a garbage site.
The body was discovered on Tuesday evening, an event that triggered significant panic among local residents in the area. A subsequent post-mortem examination confirmed the cause of death as strangulation following the sexual assault.
Police Operation and Encounter
Acting on specific evidence and a crucial tip-off from an informer, the police successfully traced Furqan's movements. A team attempted to apprehend him near the Ganga Expressway bridge on Tapanor Road late on Tuesday night.
During the arrest operation, the accused allegedly opened fire on the police team. The police retaliated in self-defence, and in the ensuing exchange of fire, Furqan suffered gunshot injuries on both legs. A police constable, Gyan Prakash, also sustained minor injuries during the operation, the SP added.
Following the encounter, the police recovered significant evidence from Furqan's possession, which included:
- A country-made pistol
- Three empty cartridges
- The mobile phone belonging to the victim
Police officials confirmed that further investigation into the case is actively underway. Charges will be framed against the accused under the relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and other applicable laws.
