Etawah, Oct 10 (IANS): The Uttar Pradesh's Etawah police have arrested an 18-year-old girl for allegedly beheading her two minor sisters -- aged six and four.
The minor girls, Surbhi and Roshni, were found with their throat slit on Sunday night in separate rooms in their house.
The incident took place in Bahadurpur village under the Balrai police station area.
The accused, identified as Anjali Pal, 18, has confessed to the crime.
Kanpur range Inspector General of Police (IG) Prashant Kumar, who is heading the probe, said: "We are trying to ascertain the motive in this case."
The police have also questioned three men along with the accused woman in connection with the case registered under sections 302 (murder) and 201 (concealing evidence or giving false information) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
"We are questioning her, and the reason behind the murder will be ascertained soon," Etawah senior superintendent of police (SSP) Sanjay Varma said. "We are also looking at the involvement of the three men."
Police said they have recovered the murder weapon -- a spade -- from the house, along with the clothes worn by the accused on Sunday. Forensic team found blood stains on the spade and the garments, washed ostensibly to get rid of the evidence.
The father Jaiveer, his wife Sushila, and their sons Nand Kishore, 12, and Kanhaiya,8, were not present at home when the incident occurred, police said.
Initially, Anjali told the police that when she allegedly returned home, she saw her sisters’ bodies in one room and their heads in another.
Jaiveer Pal, whose spade was recovered from the house, told the police that while he had used it in the morning, it appeared to have been cleaned, officers said. Police also found some clothes left outside to dry.
When questioned by the police, the accused gave contradictory explanations of her day’s events, following which she was taken into custody for further interrogation.
"She finally admitted to the crime and was taken into custody on Monday. She told the police that she went to the fields after the murder and returned just as her father and brothers were pulling up," the police officer said. "She has also been taken for medical checkup. Further investigation is underway."