Work offer, friendship claims: How victims fell into trap, faced assault

All the three accused in police custody, Banthra inspector shunted after incident

- HT Correspondent

LUCKNOW: The three accused in the Banthra assault case appeared to have carefully laid a trap of sorts for 30-year-old henna artist and her 18-year-old cousin, winning their confidence and offering to hire the henna artist for a 'haldi' ceremony, all of which culminated in a 5-km alleged assault and a fatal car crash.

The accused, all three of whom are now in police custody for interrogation, have claimed to the police that they had known the women for some time and had been in touch with them. Of the three accused, two work in private companies, and one is a freelance photographer, officials said.

Once the women got into their car on Thursday night, the accused allegedly attempted to outrage the modesty of the duo in the moving vehicle in the Banthra area of Lucknow.

The car overturned, killing the henna artist and seriously injuring the younger woman near Ramdaspur village.

DCP South Nipun Agarwal confirmed the three—Ajay, Vikas, and Adarsh—were in custody and being interrogated. Following the incident, Ajay Narayan Singh has been removed as Banthra inspector. He has been replaced by Rana Rajesh Kumar Singh.