Bijnor (Uttar Pradesh), September 13: This Friday a 24-year-old ex-National level Kho Kho player was found lying in critical condition on the railway tracks in Uttar Pradesh’s Bijnor. She seemed to be in a severely battered state, with her teeth broken, strangulation marks on her neck, other injury marks on her body and clothes disheveled.

The victim was a dalit and used to work as a sports teacher at a government school. She had represented two states in Kho Kho at the National level over the past five years and on that day she had left home to submit her resume in a private school. This is national-level player was about to get married in November.

After several hours and when she did not return and also when they were unable to contact her on mobile, which was switched off, her family members started to get worried and set off to search for her, said her sister.

Around 3 pm, one of their neighbour’s from Kutiya colony, was passing by the railway tracks and saw the victim in an unconscious state. Immediately, the neighbour informed the family, who after reaching identified the victim.

When found, the victim’s body was in a pool of blood, dupatta was tied around her neck and her breath was staggered. The spot was merely 100 meters from her home and rather desolate.

The police refused to lodge an FIR initially, with a nonchalant excuse, of ‘crime did not happen under their jurisdiction’ and passing the buck to the Government Railway Police (GRP), said the family. Only after intervention of Bahujan Samaj Party leaders, an FIR could be registered at GRP station 40 kms away.

She was immediately taken to a nearby hospital where she was declared dead. The victim’s family has alleged that the girl was raped before being mutilated and murdered. The body has been sent for post mortem says Kuldeep Gupta, Circle Officer of the city. 

Later a GRP and RPF team reached the spot. An investigation has been initiated according to Aparna Gupta, Senior Superintendent of police.