In a suspected case of rape and murder, the body of a girl was found in a sack near a temple in Moradabad on Tuesday morning. Police rushed to the spot soon after getting the information but failed to ascertain the identity of the deceased.

The police also summoned the forensic team and dog squad to the spot to help them in getting some lead. It was suspected that the girl was raped and killed elsewhere and the body was dumped later near the temple. The incident was reported from Ratupura village of Thakurdwara in Moradabad.  

Some passerby saw some dogs scratching a white gunny bag lying near the Nagnath temple close to the bypass leading to Madarpur early Tuesday morning. They also said that the bag was soaked in blood. When the police reached the spot and opened the sack, they were shocked to find the body of a girl tied with a rope. Thakurdwara SHO said the deceased was aged around 25 years and there were injury marks around her neck.

Meanwhile in Deoria, the body of a woman was found on the banks of Nakata drain in Bardonia village on Monday evening. The deceased was later identified as Archana Devi alias Rani (21), who was the wife of Durgesh Chauhan of Banki village.

On Monday evening, villagers passing by the Nakata drain spotted the body and raised an alarm. The deceased was clad in a yellow shirt, blue salwar and red shawl.  Later, her relatives reached the mortuary and identified the body as that of Archana. According to family members, she married Durgesh Chauhan in Banki village of Gauri Bazar police station area six months ago.

The body was recovered four kilometres away from her house. Inspector-in-charge Naveen Singh said the family members of Archana filed a case against her husband Durgesh and other family members, alleging she was killed over dowry.

They said that Archana married Durgesh Chauhan on May 12 last. They alleged Archana’s in-laws were demanding a motorcycle. They started torturing her and finally killed her, the bereaved kin alleged. The body was sent for autopsy and further probe was started .