Semi-naked, headless body of woman found on Kanpur-Delhi highway

Uttar Pradesh Police said the woman's bones and teeth were broken. The police are yet to make a breakthrough in the case.

In Short

• Police yet to make breakthrough, identity of woman not known
• Cops say woman's bones and teeth were broken
• Cops probing murder as well as an accident angle

A semi-naked and headless body of a woman has been found on the Kanpur-Delhi highway in Gujaini, sending the police into a tizzy. After spotting the body on the highway in Kanpur's Gujaini on Wednesday, locals informed the police, who reached the spot and started an investigation.

The police are yet to make a breakthrough in the case and are trying to ascertain the identity of the woman. Deputy Commissioner of Police (South) Ravinder Kumar said the woman's bones and teeth were broken. No mobile phone, bag or ID card was found near the body.

"The woman's body has been sent for post-mortem. There are marks of a blunt object on the body. We are probing this case from a murder as well as an accident angle," DCP Kumar said. The DCP said the police network has been activated to gather information about the deceased.

Police are also looking at the CCTV cameras around the highway in a bid to make headway into the case.

While the immediate cause of the woman's death was not clear, Kanpur Additional Commissioner Harish Chandra said that it might be due to a road accident.

"It is possible that the accident was caused by a big vehicle. The head was not missing. It had ruptured due to the injury. It has been found now. Clothes have also been found. Other things will be revealed after the postmortem report," he said.

POLITICAL BLAME-GAME ERUPTS IN UP

Meanwhile, the incident has sparked a political blame-game in the state, with the opposition parties attacking the Yogi Adityanath government over the law and order situation and crimes against women.

"In another heartbreaking incident of crime against women in UP, a headless, naked body of a woman was found on the highway of Kanpur. Morality says that the evidence of ruthless violence and immense physical torture inflicted on the deceased should not be mentioned," Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav said.

"The incident should be investigated impartially, and the criminals should be identified and given such a punishment that it creates fear in the minds of those who commit such a crime. Hope the BJP government will get this investigated by rising above politics", he demanded.

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi echoed her INDIA bloc partner while highlighting that 86 women are raped and abused every day in India.

Calling the Kanpur incident heartbreaking, Gandhi said, "Be it at home or outside, on the road or in the office, women are not safe anywhere. Half the population of the country is not only unsafe, but due to such brutality, the morale of crores of women is shattered every day".