Rakshabandhan betrayal: UP man rapes teen cousin, hangs her hours after she tied rakhi

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A 33-year-old man in Uttar Pradesh’s Auraiya has been arrested for allegedly raping and murdering his 14-year-old cousin just hours after she tied a rakhi on him during Rakshabandhan celebrations, police confirmed on Tuesday.

The accused, identified as Surjeet, had visited his uncle’s home on Saturday morning for the festival. According to TOI, later that night, he allegedly sexually assaulted the sleeping teenager before killing her and attempting to stage the scene as a suicide. The victim’s father, who was asleep in another room, discovered her body the next morning and alerted authorities.

Police initially suspected suicide but soon found bloodstains across the house, prompting a deeper investigation. Auraiya Superintendent of Police (SP) Abhijeet Shankar was cited by TOI as saying that Surjeet’s behaviour during questioning raised red flags. Shankar reportedly interrupted family members, speaking on their behalf and trying to mislead investigators.

Surjeet was detained after returning to the crime scene the following day, where he allegedly tried to influence witness statements. During interrogation, he reportedly confessed to the crime. An autopsy later confirmed sexual assault and forensic samples from both the victim and the accused have been sent to a Jhansi laboratory for analysis.