A woman was brutally murdered after she went to attend call of nature in Sitapur on Monday morning.
The body of the woman was found lying on the side of the road leading to the fields near the village. Circumstantial evidences pointed that she was first strangled and later murdered with a sharp weapon to ensure that she did not remain alive.
Family members also suspected that the victim might have been raped before being killed by the accused who appears to be known to the woman.
The local police along with senior officers reached the spot and sent the body for autopsy and started investigation.
The incident took place in Majra Afsaria hamlet of Bankati under Sadarpur police station of Sitapur district.
According to Rajeesh Kumar, a resident of the area, his wife Urmila Bhargava (40) had gone out on Monday morning to attend the call of nature in the field. Later she was murdered by some unknown miscreants and her body was dumped on the side of the road. Some passers-by saw the body and also identified the victim and informed Kumar about the murder of Urmila.
Police have started investigation and are waiting for post-mortem report to confirm whether it is a case of rape and murder or just killing over some other dispute.
In Ballia, a 17-year-old girl was allegedly abducted and raped by her tuition teacher in Bairia area, police said on Monday.
The accused, Nitesh Kumar, was arrested on Sunday, Senior Sub-Inspector (Bairia) Atul Mishra said. Kumar abducted the teen on November 7 and raped her, he said. On the complaint of the girl's mother, a case under sections relating to rape and kidnapping of the Indian Penal Code and Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act has been registered.